The K9 Thunder is a modern South Korean tracked self-propelled gun. The first prototypes of this vehicle were made in 1996, and in 1999 serial production began, which continues to this day. The vehicle is powered by the MTU MT 881 Ka-500 engine 1000 hp . It is armed with a 155mm L52 cannon and a single 12.7mm K6 HMG machine gun.
The first works on the K9 Thunder artillery system began in 1989 at Samsung Techwin (now: Hanwha Techwin). The first K9s entered the South Korean army line in 1999. Vehicles of this type are characterized by high off-road mobility, have hydropneumatic suspension and a very good power-weight ratio of the vehicle. They are protected by armor made of steel sheets, which protects them against small-caliber firearms with a caliber of up to 14.5 mm and against artillery fragments. The K9 vehicle also has increased survivability in the event of a detonation of an anti-personnel or anti-tank mine. The maximum range of the K9 Thunder's main armament reaches 30,000 meters when firing an ordinary high-explosive shell and exceeds 50,000 meters when firing the K315 shell. The K9 is also able to fire in the MRSI mode, i.e. it fires a volley of 3 missiles at intervals of 5 seconds at different angles of the barrel lift, in such a way that all 3 missiles hit the target simultaneously. The K9 vehicles were sold to Turkey, where - after modernization - they serve as the T-155 Firtina. The chassis of the K9 Thunder has also become the basis for the Polish Krab howitzer and is licensed at Huta Stalowa Wola.
