(LEAD) Hanwha wins U.S. Army contract for K9 artillery prototypes

Hanwha Aerospace Co., a South Korean defense firm, has secured a U.S. Army contract to deliver K9 self-propelled howitzer prototypes for the U.S. Army's artillery modernization program. The contract, valued at up to $262.9 million, includes the delivery of six prototypes with an option for an additional 12 systems. The MTC program aims to develop a highly mobile 155 mm artillery system to replace the Army's aging M777 towed howitzers.

Hanwha Aerospace's selection to provide these prototypes marks the K9 system's first entry into the U.S. defense market, and the company has pledged to establish a stable production base as part of its localization strategy in the United States.

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