Yonhap: South Korea to supply Spain with K9 self-propelled howitzers

South Korean defence company Hanwha Aerospace Co. announced on August 31 that it has signed a deal with Spanish defence firm Indra Sistemas S.A. to export K9 self-propelled howitzers.

In a regulatory filing, Hanwha Aerospace said it signed the contract with Indra without disclosing its value or delivery schedule, citing confidentiality, according to Yonhap.

Under the agreement, Hanwha Aerospace will receive an initial payment equivalent to 20 percent of the contract value following the signing, with another 5 percent due by the end of the year.

The deal marks the K9's first entry into the Western European market and will bring the number of countries operating the self-propelled howitzer to 11.

The 10 countries currently operating the K9 are Australia, India, Egypt, Norway, Poland, South Korea, Romania, Türkiye, Finland and Estonia. In 2025, South Korean media, citing sources, reported that Vietnam had signed an agreement to acquire 20 K9 systems.

In 2022, South Korea's defence exports reached a record $17.3 billion, driven largely by major contracts with Poland. Warsaw agreed with Seoul to purchase 980 K2 tanks, 648 K9 self-propelled howitzers and 48 FA-50 light aircraft.

The two countries also signed a contract for 288 K239 Chunmoo multiple rocket launchers.

In 2023, South Korean defence company Hanwha Aerospace won a tender to supply K9 self-propelled howitzers to the Romanian military. The contract was valued at $940 million

By Jeyhun Aghazada