Army's New Korean Howitzer Arrives—And It's Just the Start

Hanwha's K9-based Mobile Tactical Cannon is on U.S. soil. A tracked variant competition is already open.

By The Defense Desk

The U.S. Army has taken delivery of its first Hanwha-built Mobile Tactical Cannon, a 155mm self-propelled howitzer contracted to replace the M777 towed guns that have been in service since 2005. [1] The handover came less than a year after the Army issued its initial solicitation—fast, by Pentagon acquisition standards. [1]

The four-year contract, worth up to nearly $263 million, covers up to 18 systems for rapid prototyping and soldier experimentation, with accelerated delivery of the first six prototypes. [1] The weapon is based on Hanwha's K9 howitzer, employed by the South Korean military since 1999 and now with variants operating in 10 other countries, accounting for more than half of all self-propelled howitzers in service worldwide. [1] Range tells the story: the legacy M777 reaches under 24 kilometers; the K9 stretches beyond 60. [1]

The Army awarded the contract through an Other Transaction Authority agreement—a procurement path that bypasses traditional acquisition rules—and required any foreign vendor to onshore production within two years. [1] Hanwha is building an integration and test site in Opelika, Alabama. [1] Army leaders want a fielded, ready system by 2031. [1]

Hanwha is already eyeing the next contract. Weeks after winning the wheeled competition, the company announced plans to bid on the Army's parallel solicitation for a tracked variant. [2]

Artillery modernization rarely moves at this pace. The Army's willingness to reach abroad for a mature design—then require domestic assembly—signals a different calculus about speed, alliance industry, and what readiness actually demands.

Beyond direct replacement, the Mobile Tactical Cannon will serve as a test bed for the Army's 155mm Artillery Propulsion Modernization project, which targets out to 70 kilometers through advances in propelling charge, modular charge, ignition systems, propellant, and packaging solutions. [1]