Finland and Estonia to order additional K9s
K9 Thunders entered service with the Finnish Army in 2017. (Photo: Finnish Army)
Finnish defence minister Antti Kaikkonen has approved a plan to purchase five K9s this year and another five in 2022, while Estonia is also moving to acquire more of the South Korean-made SPHs.
Finland will increase its fleet of Hanwha Defense K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzers (SPHs) to provide better mobility, range and protection for its ground forces, after Finnish defence minister Antti Kaikkonen on 21 October approved procurement of ten additional units via the South Korean government.
Five vehicles will be purchased this year and the remaining five in 2022. A spokesperson for the Finnish Army told Shephard that the new K9 Thunders will partly replace ageing artillery pieces that are earmarked for decommissioning in the 2020s and 2030s.
The acquisition of ten K9s ‘enables supporting operational troops with long-range artillery equipment with good off-road and on-road mobility’,
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