Australia Marks First Firing of Hanwha-sourced AS9 Huntsman 155mm Howitzer

Australia carried out the first firing of the Hanwha-sourced AS9 Huntsman 155mm self-propelled howitzer on December 1, the country’s defence ministry announced today.

Soldiers from the School of Artillery and the 4th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, conducted the live firing at Puckapunyal, Victoria, as part of intensive operator training on the new platform.

The AS9, operated by a five-person crew, is built to fire and rapidly redeploy to reduce vulnerability to enemy targeting. The system’s mobility and armoured protection are designed to keep crews secure while sustaining repeated missions.

Based on the K9 Thunder, the AS9 features a 155mm gun with a range of up to 60 km using specialized munitions, a 52-ton combat mass, and a maximum speed of 60 km/h. 

The system will be paired with the AS10 armoured ammunition resupply vehicle, crewed by three soldiers and able to support two AS9s simultaneously. Australia plans to acquire 30 AS9s and 15 AS10s over the next two years through Hanwha Defence Australia.