Overview
- The Army, which announced the award Tuesday, gave Hanwha Defense USA a firm-fixed-price Other Transaction agreement to deliver six K9MH wheeled howitzer prototypes with options for 12 more.
- The initial action is $100.3 million with a cumulative face value up to about $262.9 million if all options are exercised.
- The first prototype must arrive before the end of 2026 and five more are due by mid-2027 to support Army operational experiments that will test performance, reliability, and supportability in realistic conditions.
- Hanwha will advance U.S. integration and phased localization at a new Opelika, Alabama facility where final assembly, testing, and workforce growth are planned.
- The award uses rapid prototyping authority to evaluate a mature, wheeled K9 variant instead of a new internal design and will inform any larger follow-on buys that industry estimates say could reach hundreds of systems and multibillion-dollar value.