The US Army has taken a step forward in modernizing its self-propelled artillery by awarding Hanwha Defense USA a research and development contract to integrate a 58-caliber cannon into the K9 platform.
This Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) follows Hanwha’s recent proposal of a wheeled K9 variant fitted with the 58-caliber gun. The system is truck-agnostic and based on the 52-caliber K9A2 wheeled howitzer, one of five platforms being evaluated to fill the capability gap left by the canceled Extended-Range Cannon Artillery (ERCA) program.
Under the CRADA, the US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center will integrate a US-designed 58-caliber cannon into Hanwha’s K9 family, extending artillery range from roughly 30 kilometers to as much as 70 kilometers. The effort mirrors ERCA’s goal of using a longer barrel to achieve greater reach.
Alongside Hanwha, BAE Systems, Rheinmetall, Elbit Systems, and General Dynamics are also demonstrating candidate systems. Hanwha’s K9A2, paired with the K10 resupply vehicle capable of 104 rounds and 12-rounds-per-minute transfer, aims to enhance sustained firepower and battlefield effectiveness while offering adaptability to US Army requirements and a fully domestic production supply chain.
