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Welcome to the suggestion post for the K9FIN! This is the South Korean K9’s designation in Finnish service. Nicknamed ‘Moukari’, meaning ‘Sledgehammer’, This could be one of the premier “derp vehicles” for the Finnish sub-tree, serving as a Finnish counterpart to vehicles like the Bkan 1C. It would not only help expand the Finnish line, but also add one of a number of South Korean vehicles to War Thunder. Let’s find out a bit about the procurement process for the K9FIN Moukari!
History
K9 Thunder howitzers with the South Korean Army fire during a March 2011 drill.
Development of the K9 first began in the late 1980s by the Agency for Defense Development, intending to build a 155 mm self-propelled howitzer for use in the 21st century. The development team put a focus on range, as the South Korean Army’s then-current self-propelled howitzers were outranged by North Korean ones, especially the M-1978 Koksan. The first prototypes were completed in 1994, and the vehicle officially entered service in 1999 as the K9 Thunder.
A 122 PsH 74, or 2S1 Gvozdika, during the Finnish Flag Day 2013 parade along Raaseporintie road in Tammisaari.
15 years later, in Finland, the Finnish Army was seeking to replace its old 2S1 self-propelled howitzers, and launched the Operational Artillery program, with the primary goal of procuring a new artillery system for this exact purpose. The new vehicle would have to be mobile, have a long range, and have a life cycle going into the 2050s. As part of this program, the Finnish Army sent out a RFI (request for information), with several countries and manufacturers sending in their responses. During the RFQ (request for quotation) phase, South Korea expressed its openness to providing surplus K9s.
During the Korea Defense Equipment & Component (KDEC) industry fair on June 1st, 2016, South Korea and Finland entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to establish defense cooperation, which included the export of used K9 equipment. In July 2016, the Finnish Ministry of Defence disclosed its plan to acquire an undisclosed number of used K9s from the Republic of Korea. Finally, on March 2017, the two governments signed the final contract with a value of €145 million ($160 million) in Seoul, South Korea. Official communications between Finland and South Korea were announced by the Finnish MoD in July of 2018, and at least one K9 was sent to Finland for field tests in Rovajärvi in November.
A K9 Thunder during the ground forces’ influence exercise at the Rovajärvi firing range in Rovaniemi November 24, 2016.
Satisfied with the test results at Rovajärvi, it was proposed by the Finnish Defense Forces that the surplus K9s, if procured, be part of a new type of unit, a heavy armored howitzer battery. A few months later, in February of 2017, Finland signed a 146-million-Euro agreement authorizing the Finnish Defense Forces to procure 48 surplus K9s from South Korea. These arrived one year later, in February of 2018, with an option for 48 more K9s if desired. The vehicles, designated K9FIN Moukari, also sometimes known as 155 PSH 17 or 155 PSH K9, were fitted with an APU, and intended to receive Finnish government-supplied battle management systems, GPS, radios, internal communications, and camouflage. In October of 2021, Finland’s defense minister Antti Kaikkonen approved an order for a further 10 vehicles from Hanwha Defense as a continuation of the previous option for more K9s.
A K9 during Pohjoinen 17, a firing exercise organized at Rovajärvi, 2017.
Design
**The K9 itself features a 155 mm CN98 L/52 howitzer, which is assisted by a semi-automatic feeding system, allowing it to fire a burst of 3 rounds in 15 seconds, followed by 6 to 8 rounds a minute for 3 minutes, and then a reduced but sustained rate of fire of 2 to 3 for up to an hour. This capability is aided by the K9’s FCS (Fire Control System), and BTCS (Battalion Tactical Command System). Another feature of the K9 is its ability to ‘shoot and scoot’ when the crew expects return fire. Moving is easy thanks to the K9’s 1,000 hp engine, propelling it up to 67 km/h, as well as 20 t of MIL-A-12560H armor, providing all-around protection from small arms and artillery fragments. For close range defense, the K9FIN has a 12.7mm Itkk 96, an NSV machine gun, mounted on the roof. **
Specifications
- Crew: 5 (2 loaders, commander, gunner, driver)
- Length: 12 m
- Width: 3.4 m
- Height: 2.73 m
- Weight: 47 t
- Primary armament: 155 mm L/52 CN98 howitzer
- Ammunition stowed: 48 rounds
- Secondary armament: 12.7 Itkk 96 (NSV machine gun)
- Engine: STX Engine/MTU Friedrichshafen MT881Ka-500 8-cylinder water-cooled diesel engine
- Power: 735 kW (1,000 hp) @ 2,700 rpm
- Operating range: 480 km
- Maximum speed: 67 km/h
Sources
- https://www.hanwhaaerospace.com/defense/firearms-system-k9.asp
- Self-propelled Howitzer K9 Thunder - Maavoimat - The Finnish Army
- Lisää K9-panssarihaupitseja Maavoimille - Ruotuväki
- https://www.is.fi/kotimaa/art-2000005092507.html
- https://archive.ph/20170218122710/http://www.janes.com/article/67827/finland-buys-k9-howitzers-from-south-korea
