HSW, Hanwha Aerospace to Integrate Polish Krab Chassis with Korean K9 Gun-Howitzers

Polish firm Huta Stalowa Wola (HSW) and South Korean Hanwha Aerospace have signed an agreement to integrate Polish Krab chassis with the Korean K9A2 and K9A3 gun-howitzers, building on previous collaborations.

The letter of intent was signed at the Warsaw office of Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ) on May 10.

The signing ceremony was attended by Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of State Assets Marcin Kulasek, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of National Defense Paweł Bejda, Deputy Minister of DAPA Hyunki Cho, and Krzysztof Trofiniak, President of the Management Board of PGZ S.A.

The letter of intent solidifies plans for the export of components used in the Polish Krab gun-howitzers and the Korean K9 gun-howitzers. Notably, both the Polish Krab and Korean K9 share a common chassis origin.

Furthermore, the agreement includes provisions to explore the feasibility of using the Polish Krab chassis for the Korean K9A2 and K9A3 gun-howitzers. This partnership builds upon past adaptations where the Korean chassis was integrated into the Polish Krab turret system.

Additionally, the letter of intent lays the groundwork for future initiatives, such as technology transfer for repairing the main gun of the K9 howitzer recently acquired by the Polish army for long-term use. The agreement also extends cooperation into the production and advancement of the Homar-K launcher, including technology transfer, localization (Polonization), and adaptation to accommodate 122 mm unguided missiles.

Moreover, the collaboration seeks to leverage joint capabilities to offer the Homar-K launcher to other markets, particularly those within NATO's eastern flank.