Romania could have 54 self-propelled howitzers produced in South Korea

AGERPRES special correspondent Oana Ghita reports: Romania could have 54 K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzers, produced in South Korea, the manufacturing company Hanwha being the only one that remained in the tender opened by the National Defence Ministry (MApN), and negotiations in this regard continue with the Romanian Government.

The maximum range (of the K9 howitzer) is 54 kilometers, it is very fast, said Heo Man Jung, a senior artillery researcher at Hanwha, in a meeting with Romanian journalists. He said that in 2010 this howitzer was used in moments of maximum tension in his country.

We responded very quickly when we were attacked by North Korea, he added. Heo Man Jung also highlighted the mobility of the howitzer, which reaches a speed of over 67 kilometres per hour, and the fact that the structure of the vehicle protects the military inside very well. Furthermore, Heo Man Jung said, the K9 was designed to operate in any climate.

Last summer, the MApN requested three 155 mm calibre battalion-level howitzer systems, 17,352 explosive projectiles, 324 smoke projectiles, 324 illumination projectiles and 720 inert projectiles (for training).

The duration of the contract of more than 850 million euros is 60 months and the funds come from the state budget, according to the announcement at the time.

A howitzer system is composed of: 18 self-propelled 155 mm calibre howitzers on rails, nine reserve gun barrels, 12 specialised ammunition transport and loading machines, nine self-propelled artillery observation posts, a meteorological station vehicle, three means of evacuating damaged equipment and three acoustic survey systems. To these components are added the associated missiles.

South Korean company representatives say in a press release that they intend to open an industrial line in Romania, in order to contribute to the defence capabilities of the Land Forces and to the development of the military industry.

The K 9 Thunder howitzers are operated in nine countries around the world, including five NATO countries: Poland, Norway, Estonia, Finland and Turkey.

On Tuesday, several memoranda will be signed between the governments of Romania and South Korea, including in the defence area, in the context of the official visit of President Klaus Iohannis to this country.