Hanwha’s K9 self-propelled howitzer demonstrated its interoperability with the Raytheon M982A1 Excalibur precision-guided 155mm rounds earlier this year.
The test took place in April at the US Army Yuma Proving Ground with a Norwegian VIDAR version of the K9.
The live-firing was designed to strike targets 50 kilometers (31 miles) away in multiple fuze function modes.
During the firing, a round struck a target with a circular error probability of less than 1 meter (3.3 feet) in point-detonating mode, while another exploded 5 meters (16.4 feet) above the target in burst mode.
The test proved the K9’s interoperability with all guided artillery rounds that have been deployed since 2014, the South Korean manufacturer said.
Replacement for Extended Range Cannon
The US Army is looking to replace its scrapped Extended-Range Cannon Artillery (ERCA) program with options that include the K9.
Launched in 2018, the program aimed to mount a 30-foot (9-meter) gun tube on a Paladin M109 howitzer with an operational range of 43 miles (70 kilometers).
Engineering challenges, however, proved insurmountable.
Apart from Hanwha, Elbit Systems and BAE Systems have offered their Sigma and M109 howitzers as potential replacements.
