Poland is acquiring over 150 more K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzers from South Korea.
On Friday, Poland’s State Armament Agency said it signed a contract valued at $2.6 billion with South Korean defense company Hanwha Aerospace for the 155 mm artillery.
The agreement includes six self-propelled K9 howitzers that Hanwha Defense is scheduled to deliver in 2025 and 146 self-propelled howitzers of the K9PL variety that will arrive in 2026-2027.
“We are drawing lessons from the conflict in Ukraine,” according to Mariusz Błaszczak, minister of national defense of Poland. “We are modernizing our rocket forces and artillery.”
The new arms order follows a framework agreement that Poland signed with Hanwha in July 2022 to purchase 672 K9 howitzers and 288 Chunmoo multiple rocket launchers.
In a statement, an official from Hanwha said the latest contract forges a “deep trust” between the company and Poland and establishes the foundation for a “continued and ongoing cooperative relationship” with the East European nation.
The South Korean firm will also provide training and logistics support as part of the artillery acquisition deal and the delivery of a significant stock of 155 mm ammunition. Parts of the howitzer will be manufactured by the Polish defense industry.