Polish K9 self-propelled artillery made its debut during exercises in Estonia
17 October, 2024 Polish self-propelled artillery system K9A1 Thunder during the AKKTULI-24 exercise. October 2024, Estonia. Photo: Polish General Staff
For the first time, the Polish military has used the Korean K9A1 Thunder self-propelled artillery system in exercises abroad. The artillery systems were brought to the Estonian training ground as part of the AKKTULI-24 exercise. In Poland, the 1st Masurian Artillery Brigade received these Hanwha Defense systems.
The Estonian military also involved its own K9EST Thunder artillery systems in the training. The event's main purpose was to test the skills of soldiers going into the reserve and to update the knowledge of reservists.
The Estonian self-propelled artillery system K9 Thunder during the AKKTULI-24 exercise. October 2024, Estonia. Photo: Polish General Staff
"An additional boon was the opportunity to practice cooperation with Polish artillery, with whom we have the opportunity to cooperate in this way for the first time," Estonian military representatives stated in a press release.
The Polish military already has 108 K9A1 Thunder howitzers out of 218 systems, and the last delivery of 12 howitzers took place on October 7. In 2022, Poland signed a framework agreement with Hanwha Defense to purchase 672 howitzers, of which 212 K9A1s were manufactured in Korea. The howitzers will be transferred from 2022 to 2026 with further modernization to the K9PL variant, which experts developed from the Polish Armaments Group (PGZ) and Hanwha Defense.
The Polish self-propelled artillery system K9A1 Thunder during the AKKTULI-24 exercise. October 2024, Estonia.
Photo: Polish General Staff
Starting in 2026, about 460 more artillery systems are to be built in Poland at the new facility in the K9PL version.
The contract also includes the K10 ARV and K11 FDCV support vehicles, which provide automated replenishment of the self-propelled artillery system's ammunition.
The main differences between the Polish vehicles will be the integrated C2 control and positioning system and the TOPAZ automatic fire control kit, which is designed to work with Polish command vehicles.