Geelong-built howitzer a game-changer for artillery units

THE AUSTRALIAN Army has test-fired shells from the barrel of an AS9 Huntsman self-propelled howitzer ahead of their manufacturing in Geelong.

Soldiers from the Joint Proof and Experimental Unit (JPEU) collected data from behind safety shields during the test at Port Wakefield, South Australia, earlier this month.

Thirty self-propelled howitzers will be manufactured at Hanwha Armoured Vehicle Centre of Excellence at Avalon, which is under construction and due for completion in 2025.

According to Defence, hundreds of rounds have been fired to verify that in-service and future ammunition, and propellant types, won’t exceed the gun’s specifications.

Master Gunner Warrant Officer Class One Nicholas Windridge from JPEU,said the Royal Australian Artillery had long wanted to integrate self-propelled howitzers into its arsenal.

“By having guns further from the frontline combined with added mobility, commanders will have the flexibility to focus fires more effectively across the battle space,” Warrant Officer Windridge said.

A feature of the AS9 Huntsman is its capacity to fire successive rounds timed to hit the target simultaneously.

The AS9 Huntsman, which is based on the South Korean K9 Thunder, will undergo substantial modifications for enhanced explosive ordnance integration, bolstered soldier protection, and advanced digital capabilities.

Lieutenant Colonel Hugh Smith, project manager for Protected Mobile Fires, said initial testing would conclude by year’s end, with range and accuracy trials scheduled for next year at the Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona.

“At this stage, 4 Regiment will be accepting the capability into service, replacing their M777s with the self-propelled howitzers.”