Hanwha Aerospace has shipped AS9 self-propelled howitzers for the first time from its plant in Australia. The AS9 is an Australia-tailored variant of the K9, which holds more than 50% of the global self-propelled howitzer market.
The company said on the 26th it held a shipment ceremony at H-ACE in Geelong, Australia, for three AS9 units produced locally.
The first Australia-built AS10 ammunition resupply vehicle is also scheduled to leave the plant within the year. Hanwha Aerospace plans to supply the Australian Army with a total of 30 AS9 howitzers and 15 AS10 vehicles.
H-ACE, completed in August 2024, is described as Korea’s first overseas production base for the defense industry. Built on a site of about 150,000 square meters, it includes 11 facilities, including a main building, production and assembly areas, a driving test track and a firing range.
Hanwha Aerospace said it aims to use the successful operation of the Australian plant to respond more directly to defense demand in the Indo-Pacific, and to use the site as a production base not only for Australia but also for key allied countries.
The company also said it will accelerate efforts to target markets tied to AUKUS, a U.S.-Australia-UK security partnership, and the Five Eyes intelligence alliance of the United States, Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
A Hanwha Aerospace official said, “The first shipment of self-propelled howitzers made at an overseas production base means K-defense exports have entered a new stage,” adding, “We will develop the Australian plant into a core production hub for the Indo-Pacific region.”
* This article has been translated by AI.
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