Ricardo nets contract from STX Engine for South Korean project

26th November 2021 - 14:15 GMT | by The Shephard News Team in London

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K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzer. (Photo: Hanwha Defense)

South Korea is seeking to equip the Hanwha K9 self-propelled howitzer with a locally produced engine.

Ricardo has won a contract from South Korean company STX Engine to help develop a clean-sheet engine for the military market that will help enable more exports of the Hanwha K9 self-propelled howitzer.

Ricardo will support STX Engine in designing and developing the new engine ‘achieving the required performance and attributes for the K9 vehicle for future export project.’

Under the contract, STX Engine engineers will embed with Ricardo’s engineering development team to facilitate knowledge transfer and accelerate development.

Ricardo stated that its objective was for the new engine to integrate ‘seamlessly’ with the K9 vehicle for future exports, creating a ‘drop-in’ replacement that will enable South Korean engine production and resolve export license-related barriers.

Shephard Defence Insight notes that the K9 is currently fitted with a German 1,000hp MTU MT 881 Ka-500 diesel engine.