K9 Thunder

History

The K9 Thunder is a relatively new addition to the South Korean Army and is domestically designed and produced. After decades of using U.S. weapons, the country is increasingly looking inward to assemble a more modern military to counter any aggression from the north. North Korea was once a whole country, divided into the Communist North (supported by the Soviet Union) and the Democratic South (supported by the United States) after the Japanese invasion in World War II. The North (with the blessing of the Soviet Union and China) led the Korean War (1950-1953), which culminated in a loose truce that ended the war like never before.

As a result, the North and South have experienced tensions that have ebb and flow for decades since the partition, leading to a regional arms race backed by major world powers. Despite the constant threat of nuclear weapons on the Korean peninsula, artillery will continue to play a huge role in large-scale ground operations between the North and South armies, and the K9 Thunder fits that bill. Bill - it can fire 155mm high-explosive nuclear infantry shells at a distance of about 40 kilometers.

The K9 is in the same vehicle class as the highly modernized American M109 "Paladin", the British AS-90 and the German PzH-2000 155mm SPG, using the latest Korean Engineering and digital technology are unmatched by any product from the North. arrive.

Samsung Techwin started designing the K9 in 1989 and launched a prototype in 1994. Evaluation and delivery of pre-production vehicles was extended to 1998, culminating in the system's mass production as the Thunder system and its official introduction to the ROK Army in 1999.

Since then, some 532 examples of this type have been in service with Army and Marine Corps services when the K9 unit launched a salvo north in a counterattack operation in November 2010.

The K9 consisted of five specialists, including the driver, vehicle commander, gunner and two loaders responsible for managing 155mm shells. Except for the crew, the driver retains the front left fuselage seat, while the rest of the crew is seated in the fully enclosed turret superstructure. The tower has slightly sloping side walls and a flat roof. A variety of modern internal systems give the K9 rifle group a distinct advantage on the battlefield in terms of sustained rate of fire and bullet placement over all known systems available to the North Korean military.

While the K9 isn't necessarily designed to be launched "on the go," its system is designed to allow its weapons to be deployed for a short period of time (setup time is reportedly just a minute of preparation time), and then the entire vehicle can be turned on as needed to move to a new Shooting Position - Makes it harder for enemies to target and attack. This mobility is a sought-after quality on today's modern battlefield, giving the K9 a distinct "smart" advantage in open combat.

However, the real key to the success of the K9 system was its use of a so-called "just-in-time" digital fire control system. The fire control system manages the firing action of the main battery.

This computerized arrangement allowed the rifle group to fire three 155mm rounds in a row in an area, firing all three rounds in just 15 seconds. The onboard computer calculates the trajectory of the second and third shells based on the first shell fired, and automatically adjusts the firing of these two consecutive shells so that all three shells "reach the target" at the same time - more or less one Neutralize the target secure or target area.

Externally, the K9 had a structural layout similar to the American M109, with a rear-mounted plate-side turret placement and box-shaped fuselage instead. The turret has a 155mm main gun attached to an internal bracket and the necessary recoil system. The main gun's traversal within its mount is +70 to -2.

5 Due to the rotating power tower structure, it can rotate 360 ??degrees. Various side and roof hatches allow the crew to get in and out and replenish ammunition with relative ease.

Communication antennas are located on each rear corner of the turret roof, as are rear storage racks. "Pioneering tools" meant that items such as sledgehammers, shovels and axes could be mounted on support arms on the outside of the turret, making these tools useful for digging in crews and vehicles in the long run. Steel-based armor protection has a maximum thickness of 19mm, NBC (nuclear, biological, chemical) and night vision systems are standard on the K9 design.

Primary armament is a long-barreled 155mm/52 caliber L52 series main gun that fires a variety of standardized projectile types. Rocket-launched ammunition can also be used to increase the maximum range of the artillery, keeping it away from danger on the front lines. There is a prominent smoke vent midway through the barrel length, and a unique multi-baffle muzzle brake is used to delay the violent recoil inherent in firing 155mm explosive rounds.

When transporting the K9, the main barrel can be locked over the front hull with a folding support arm (due to the length of the barrel, it must be stored this way). South Korean engineers have also developed an indigenous high-explosive round called "K307", which is a standardized projectile for the K9, the loading process is further managed by an automatic function, which reduces the workload of the crew, as only the charge needs to be managed.

Loader available as required. The main battery is complemented by a defensive 12.7mm Daewoo K6 heavy machine gun to help counter low-flying aircraft, and is controlled by the commander via a deployed cupola. 12.7mm heavy machine gun with 500 rounds of ammunition.

While the K9 has an approximately 48x155mm projectile inside, the Thunder is fed in action by the K10 automatic ammunition carrier, which uses the same hull and track design as the K9 (minus the powered turret), making it economical Sex and logistical "friendly" measures produced with the K9. The K10 can be identified by its protruding ammunition arms and sturdy build, but retains more or less the same look and layout as the base K9.

The power compartment on the K10 "feeds" the new 155mm projectile through the rear of the K9 turret structure.

The K9 is powered by the German brands MTU MT 881 Ka-500 water-cooled 8-cylinder diesel engine, delivering up to 1,000 hp at 2,750 rpm. This enables the Thunder to reach a top speed of 67 kilometers per hour and a range of about 480 kilometers. The engine is mounted on the right side of the front fuselage driver's seat and is used in conjunction with an S&T Dynamics Company X1100-5A3 series drivetrain.

Equipped with hydropneumatic suspension on all wheels, the K9 has excellent off-road capability - a requirement given the rough terrain in Korea. There are six rubber tire wheels on one side of the chain, the drive sprocket is mounted on the front of the chain system, the chain idler is mounted on the rear, and three chain idler pulleys are mounted between and above the first, second and third right.

The K9 can ford water up to 1.5 meters deep.

In addition to the South Korean army, Turkey has also become a new recipient of the Thunder K9 licensed T-155 "Firtina" (translated as "Storm"). Over time, around 300 Turkish variants are expected to be deployed.

Turkey is followed by Egypt, which remains a potential customer for K9 thanks to an agreement with South Korea. Egypt has also deployed American M109s. The Australian Army is reportedly considering using the South Korean K9 to modernize its existing artillery system.

July 2016 - The Finnish Army has chosen the K9 Thunder as their new SPG platform.

February 2017 - The Finnish Army has announced that it will purchase up to 48 ex-Korea Army K9 vehicles to modernize its Army (replacing an aging field howitzer stock). These are called K9FIN "Moukari" ("Sledgehammers").

November 2018 - The Indian Army officially adopted the K9 VAJRA-T ("Lightning") localized self-propelled artillery system from South Korea. One hundred units will eventually form the fleet. Final deliveries will be made by the end of 2020.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Performance

Armor

48x155mm projectile (K307 HE).

500x12.7mm ammo.

Changes