Army chooses Korean-designed howitzer to be prototype for new mobile cannon

The U.S. Army has chosen Hanwha Defense USA to develop a prototype for a Mobile Tactical Cannon that the service says is a “critical priority” for modernization.

Hanwha Defense USA is an Arlington, Va.-based subsidiary of Hanwha Group of Korea. Its proposed design is based on its 155mm K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzer. The company said more than 2,500 variants of the system are used by South Korea and other countries, including Australia, Turkey, Egypt, Poland and Finland.

The agreement calls for up to 18 prototypes for the U.S. Army. Hanwha would receive an initial $100.3 million. If all options are exercised, the contract would be worth $262.9 million.

The Army plans for the new Mobile Tactical Cannon to replace the self-propelled M109A7 howitzer, the latest variant of a design in Army service for more than 50 years. It could also replace some towed M777 howitzers.

Soldiers will use the prototypes in a series of operational experiments to assess performance, reliability and supportability in realistic combat conditions, according to the Army.

“This soldier-centric, experiment-driven approach reflects the Army’s continuous transformation initiative to rapidly deliver lethal capabilities, incorporate immediate soldier feedback and adapt the force to pace emerging threats in multidomain operations,” the Army said in a statement.

The first prototype is scheduled to be delivered to the Army before the end of the year, with five additional prototypes to be delivered by mid-2027. The Army has options on another 12 prototypes.

Hanwha would ship parts for the cannons from South Korea, but final assembly of components would be at a new Hanwha Defense USA facility in Opelika, Ala.