Hanwha Aerospace's K9 self-propelled gun model for export to Australia, the 'AS-9 Huntsman', has successfully completed its first delivery after arriving in Australia. The AS-9 is initially produced in small quantities domestically before being sent to Australia, with the remainder to be produced locally. The Australian factory began operations in the second half of last year after its completion and has entered full-scale production.
On social media platform 'X', a recent image emerged showing Hanwha Aerospace's AS-9 self-propelled gun parked inside its production facility at H-ACE (Hanwha Armoured Vehicle Centre of Excellence) in Geelong, Victoria, Australia. A representative from Hanwha Aerospace noted, 'A portion of the initial contract quantity has been delivered to Australia.'
Hanwha Aerospace signed a contract worth 1 trillion won with the Australian government in 2020 for the export of 30 units of the AS-9 and 15 units of the AS-10 ammunition supply vehicle. The AS-9 and AS-10 are modified versions of the K9 self-propelled gun and K10 ammunition supply vehicle tailored to requests from the Australian military.
According to the contract, Hanwha Aerospace will initially produce some quantities domestically for delivery to Australia, with the remainder to be fully produced locally. In March of last year, the company commenced initial production of 2 units of the AS-9 and 1 unit of the AS-10 at its Changwon factory. The domestically produced AS-9 was captured in October last year in Taean, Chungcheongnam-do, where the Defense Agency for Technology and Quality (ADD) is located.
The AS-9 is said to have enhancements compared to the existing K9, including additional armor materials for increased protection and a mine protection kit, along with a separate device for internal vehicle cooling mounted at the rear. Moreover, it is reported that a spall liner has been applied inside the structure to enhance its ability to withstand shrapnel and other impacts.
Hanwha Aerospace plans to produce 28 units of the AS-9 and 9 units of the AS-10 at its local factory H-ACE for the Australian Army by 2027. H-ACE began operations after its completion in August of last year.
Established on an area of approximately 150,000 square meters (about 45,000 pyeong), H-ACE consists of a main building, production facilities, an assembly area, a test track, a shooting range, and a total of 11 facilities. Geelong, where H-ACE is located, is a one-hour drive from Melbourne, the capital of Victoria, Australia, and 10 minutes from Avalon Airport. Its accessibility is noted to be advantageous for logistics operations and workforce recruitment.
Hanwha Aerospace is also set to produce the 'Redback' tracked armored vehicle, for which a supply contract for 129 units was signed with Australia last year. The aim is to produce prototypes by the first half of 2026 and then proceed to full-scale mass production.