As the Ministry of Defense of Finland reported on October 21, 2021, the country's Defense Minister Antti Kaikkonen approved the purchase of five additional 155 mm/52 K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzers in South Korea in 2021 and authorized the Department of Logistics of the Finnish Defense Forces to make an additional purchase of the next five such systems in 2022. These 10 K9 self-propelled howitzers are being purchased due to the implementation of an option to the contract concluded in February 2017 for the purchase by Finland of 48 K9 self-propelled howitzers from the presence of the South Korean army.
One of the first South Korean 155 mm/52 self-propelled howitzers K9 Thunder (Moukari), which entered the armored brigade of the Finnish Army, September 2019 (c) Ministry of Defense of Finland
Recall that the 2017 contract with the South Korean state foreign trade association KOTRA for the purchase by Finland of 48 K9 self-propelled howitzers from the presence of the South Korean army was concluded in the amount of 146 million euros, including the cost of training, spare parts and service support. Deliveries should be made to the Ministry of Defense of Finland from 2017 to 2024. The contract included an option to purchase an additional number of K9 howitzers, which has now been partially implemented. The cost of purchasing 10 optional guns will be 30 million euros (excluding VAT).
The K9 howitzers (which received the Finnish name Moukari - throwing hammer) should replace the obsolete Soviet 122-mm self-propelled howitzers 2C1 "Carnation" (Finnish designation 122 PSH 74) in the Finnish Defense Forces, which were purchased in the amount of 72 units in 1992 from the presence of the army of the former GDR.
The first batch of four purchased K9 self-propelled guns arrived in Finland in February 2018, the first combat-ready battery of these systems was formed by the end of 2020 as part of an armored brigade of the Finnish army in Parola. According to Finnish sources, by now the Finnish army has received a total of 17 systems. Finnish K9 self-propelled guns are equipped with ICS (Integrated Combat System) ACS manufactured by the Norwegian Kongsberg group.
The K9 self-propelled guns were also purchased in Europe by the Estonian armed forces (a total of 18 units from the presence of the South Korean army, deliveries were started in 2020) and Norway (24 new-built vehicles, deliveries were started in 2019).
One of the first South Korean 155 mm/52 self-propelled howitzers K9 Thunder (Moukari), entered the armored brigade of the Finnish Army, September 2020 (c) www.reservilainen.fi
