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An Australian Defence Force AS9 Huntsman self-propelled howitzer has been fired on Australian soil by Australian soldiers for the first time.
The artillery vehicle conducted a live firing at Puckapunyal, Victoria, with School of Artillery and 4th Regiment Royal Australian Artillery personnel.
Thirty AS9s and 15 AS10s are scheduled to enter service with the Australian Army by 2028 and will be primarily operated by 4th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery in Townsville.
Earlier this year in February, the two AS9 155 mm/52 calibre tracked self-propelled howitzers and one AS10 armoured ammunition resupply vehicle were unveiled in AusCam markings as part of a federal government and industry photo shoot.
The vehicles, manufactured overseas by Korean defence company Hanwha, reportedly arrived in Australia late last year and are the first LAND 8116 vehicles to feature AusCam markings.
“Members of the School of Artillery and 4th Regiment Royal Australian Artillery recently conducted live-fire training on the new AS9 Huntsman Self-Propelled Howitzer at Puckapunyal, Victoria,” according to a statement from Defence.
“This was the first time the new AS9 Huntsman Self-Propelled Howitzer had been fired on Australian soil by Australian soldiers.
“The Australian government has committed to acquiring 30 AS9 Huntsman self-propelled howitzers and 15 AS10 armoured ammunition resupply vehicles over the next two years, through industry partner Hanwha Defence Australia.”
In 2024, Australian Army gunners were able to fire the K9 self-propelled howitzer as part of familiarisation training held in South Korea.
During that trip, Townsville-based gunners were among nine members attending the training on the K9 self-propelled howitzer to become future instructors on the vehicles, which will be primarily operated by 4th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery in Townsville by 2028.
At that time, it was expected that there would be more in-depth, train-the-trainer course for potential instructors so they can teach trainees from the 4th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery at Puckapunyal.
