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South Korean Soldiers in the 631st Field Artillery Battalion, 26th Mechanized Infantry Division Artillery, coordinate fires from a battery of six K9 Thunder 155 mm self-propelled howitzers. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army)

Hanwha Defense Australia (HDA) is pleased to learn of the Commonwealth Government’s announcement concerning the Protected Mobile Fires program, where HDA has been nominated as the preferred supplier to receive an RFT for the Land 8116 Protected Mobile Fires program. “This is a tremendous outcome for our company and we very much appreciate the Commonwealth placing their trust in Hanwha for this opportunity”, said Mr Richard Cho, Managing Director of HDA.

Hanwha has already been engaged for a considerable period with Australian defence industry, especially in the Greater Geelong region, to ensure that Land 8116 creates an enduring and self-reliant industrial base by which the Commonwealth can sustain, develop and grow an indigenous capability for the self-propelled and joint fires capability in Australia. Steps have already been taken to begin the work required to build the facilities and industrial base necessary to deliver Land 8116.

“By beginning this journey with Hanwha”, said Richard Cho, “the Commonwealth will reap the benefits of being part of a global community of more than 2,400 K9/K10 Self-Propelled Howitzer systems worldwide with all of the sustainment, training, and global supply opportunities that this will bring. Most importantly though, our company is committed to building the vehicles in the Geelong region, growing local skills, and not just relying on the Australian K9 fleet alone to sustain our activities. We are working towards ensuring that our Geelong facility will be viewed as an alternative sustainment and supply chain base for the global K9 family of vehicles. There is a great deal going on behind the scenes to support this somewhat new way of doing business This is a different approach to just building and exporting, which given the increasing trend of localisation being demanded globally, is beginning to preclude this sort of approach.”

South Korean Soldiers in the 631st Field Artillery Battalion, 26th Mechanized Infantry Division Artillery, coordinate fires from a battery of six K9 Thunder 155 mm self-propelled howitzers. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army)

With this Government announcement, work will commence immediately to implement our plan for the building of facilities and skilling of the local Geelong based work force. In addition to the manufacture of the vehicles, the facility will provide a deep level maintenance and enduring sovereign capability with the integration and design facilities to support and grow the Australian Joint Fires Capability. Key to this will be the growing of the Australia industrial base that can support and eventually develop associated future technologies. To this end HDA is already exploring partnerships with the Australian SME base as well as Deakin University, Gordon TAFE and other local research and training organisations.

For the Land 8116 program Hanwha has developed the Huntsman Family of Vehicles comprising the K9 Self- Propelled Howitzer (SPH) and the K10 Armoured Ammunition Resupply Vehicle (AARV) to deliver a complete mission system. These will be designated as the AS9 SPH and the AS10 AARV respectively for the Australian market. The Huntsman SPH is a 50 tonne, 52 calibre, 155mm platform capable of taking advantage of current and emerging 155mm munitions technologies. It has a crew of four or five depending on the configuration with an ammunition capacity of up to 48 rounds and accompanying modular charge systems. The Kongsberg ODIN Fire Control System which sits within the broader Kongsberg Integrated Combat System allows passage of information to the Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System (AFATDS) forming the core of the C4I system. The AS10 AARV is a largely robotised system built on the same chassis as the K9. It holds 104 rounds of 155mm ammunition and is used to provide ammunition resupply under armour and forward to the Artillery unit.

‘We are committed, Mr Cho said, to assist and support the Commonwealth and Australian industry to take part in build, sustain and develop an SPH production and sustainment capability that will deliver the best operational performance possible to the Australian Army. This will be done largely by Australians, for Australians, in Australia.’

HDA is part of the larger Hanwha Group, a Korean Global Fortune 500 company. HDA was established in late 2019 and is actively engaged in various programs across the Domains. It is headquartered in Melbourne, Victoria with its manufacturing centre to be based in the Greater Geelong Area.

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