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The Australian Defence Force has conducted a test firing of the new AS9 Huntsman self-propelled howitzer during a stakeholder demonstration at Port Wakefield in South Australia.
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The Australian Army artillery system was fired during a showcase for project stakeholders at the Proof and Experimental Establishment in Port Wakefield on 21 November, as part of LAND 8116 Protected Mobile Fires project.
The event was overseen by the Joint Proof and Experimental Unit, as Australia seeks to confirm the AS9 in a protected mobile fire systems role alongside in-service M777 155mm lightweight towed howitzer artillery.
Australian-variant AS9 Huntsman are expected to be constructed at a new Hanwha Defense Australia factory near Avalon in Victoria late next year, with 30 AS9 Huntsmen and 15 AS10 armoured ammunition resupply vehicles to be built in Victoria.
Elphinstone, a company on the north coast of Tasmania, will manufacture the hulls and turrets; with the first AS9 to be completed in Australia and expected to roll out the door by the end of 2025.
Further testing will be conducted in Australia, focused on protection of the vehicle from small arms fire and shrapnel.
The South Korean-developed self-propelled howitzers officially made their Australian debut at Exercise Talisman Sabre at Shoalwater Bay Training Area in July this year.
Gunner Max Hood of 4th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, said while it was the first time they’d seen the tracked howitzer, they had already begun practising drills based around self-propelled artillery.
“We’re moving away from the traditional gun line towards operating on our own with less camouflage and concealment,” Gunner Hood said.
“We drop, shoot and get out of there to avoid counter battery.”
The AS9 Huntsman self-propelled howitzer has also previously undertaken testing of three-round burst and automated loading capabilities in South Korea earlier this year.
Major Brendan Kelleher of the project team under LAND 8116, said the tests ensured the combination of Australian ammunition and a Korean cannon were safe for service.
“While we know in isolation the K9’s cannon (Korean K9 Thunder artillery) is safe, and in isolation the ammunition is safe, this testing makes sure they are compatible,” MAJ Kelleher said.
Blast testing was also recently conducted in Israel involving a full-size AS9 hull fitted with crash test dummies, cameras, and sensors inside. During that testing, an explosive charge was detonated at the base of the vehicle to imitate the effects of a land mine. Those results will inform design changes to ensure the vehicles provide the required protection and survivability for soldiers.
“The feedback we’re getting from other users is they are impressed by the maturity and ease of use of the platform,” MAJ Kelleher said.
“It is a big increase in range and lethality from the in-service towed howitzer, made possible by the longer cannon and higher rates of fire.
“For junior gunners and non-commissioned officers, it’s going to be a challenging but exciting step up to manage both a cannon and an armoured vehicle, likely with greater autonomy than they might have on a normal gun line.”
