Image source: topwar.ru
K9 self-propelled guns of the Norwegian Army
On September 18, the South Korean concern Hanwha Aerospace signed a contract with the Norwegian Ministry of Defense for the supply of 24 additional K9 VIDAR self-propelled guns by 2027. They will be transferred to the newly formed Finnmark brigade (stationed on the border with the Murmansk region of Russia), and the total fleet of these howitzers in the local army will amount to 52 units. The self-propelled guns will be equipped with upgraded communications equipment and integrated into the national combat control system.
In December 2017, Oslo ordered 24 self-propelled guns K9 VIDAR and 6 TZM K10. Deliveries were completed according to schedule by 2020. The first operational battery was commissioned in Cetermoen on January 1, 2021, and batteries were deployed in Cetermoen and Rennes later that year. In November 2022, Norway exercised the option to supply another 4 K9 and 8 K10. By the beginning of 2025, it was armed with 28 K9 and 14 K10 deployed in the Nord brigade, which is mainly based in Trums north of the Arctic Circle.
In April 2025, the government confirmed plans to purchase 24 more K9 Vidars for $534 million, which was formalized in an agreement signed the other day. The Norwegian Defense Research Institute (FFI) has published a generally favorable report, which concludes that the transition to the new ACS has achieved two of the three goals: compared to the American M109 ACS, the firing range has increased to more than 40 km; the security and combat readiness of self-propelled artillery has increased. The third goal, cost control, remains unresolved due to a shortage of ammunition and uncertainty about long–term costs. The command is also pleased with the new product.
Image source: topwar.ru
TZM K10 of the Norwegian Army
- said the commander-in-chief of the army, Lars Lerwik, before signing the contract.
The Ministry of Defense noted that Hanwha had previously completed orders on time, meeting the agreed cost and complying with technical requirements.:
However, on the ground, the situation does not look as favorable as the command describes it.
- it was stated in the local edition of Forsvarets Forum in December 2024.
As noted at the time, during the operation of the self-propelled gun, due to a lack of spare parts, the accuracy of fire decreased, and the TZM K10 was decommissioned, as it had to be removed from the working ammunition in order to install it on the ACS.
- stated in the Ministry of Defense.
The military department explained that, despite the shortage of spare parts and the failure of fuel and lubricants, the consequences for combat readiness are insignificant, and promised to solve the problem in 2025 by purchasing more necessary parts.
