Egypt boosts defence with K9 Thunder coastal artillery acquisition
Egypt, like Poland, has decided to purchase K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzers from South Korea. Besides their standard use, they will also be employed as coastal anti-ship artillery. Here's how they operate in this mode.
The Hanwha Aerospace company has announced the achievement of capabilities to combat surface ships and the development of its own 1,000-horsepower diesel engine. This will facilitate the export of K9 Thunder howitzers to markets that were previously inaccessible due to potential sales blockades by Germany. The use of the MTU engine in the manufactured self-propelled howitzers enabled this possibility.
In the video below from the tests, you can see how the K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzer successfully hits a surface ship. This capability can be particularly useful in repelling sea landings.
K9 Thunder — a South Korean export hit
In February 2022, Egypt ordered about 200 K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzers for approximately 1.7 billion dollars. The first units will be manufactured in Korea, but the majority will be built in Egypt with the involvement of the local industry.
The ordered units are K9A1 Thunder, a K9 Thunder modernization that has been produced since 1999. This design weighs about 47,000 kilograms and is based on a tracked chassis equipped with a turret housing a 155 mm caliber gun with a barrel length of 52 calibers. This setup allows for firing up to six shots per minute and executing three shots in MRSI (Multiple Rounds Simultaneous Impact) mode.
This weaponry has now become standard in NATO, enabling attacks on targets from 30 to 35 kilometres using ordinary shells like the DM121. Alternatively, using slightly more advanced shells with a gas generator can increase this range to about 40 kilometres.
Targets can also be reached at a range of 50 to 60 kilometres using shells with a rocket booster such as the M549A1. When combined with a proficient ballistic computer based on radar data, even unguided ammunition can achieve sufficient accuracy.
Laser-beam guided shells — pinpoint precision, even against moving targets
On the other hand, using guided shells like the Vulcano GLR allows engagement of targets from a distance of up to 80 kilometres with pinpoint precision when a laser beam-guided variant is used.
This type is particularly useful because, in cooperation with drones, it allows for precise targeting even against moving targets. In the context of Egypt, M712 Copperhead rounds will most likely be used.
These are Cold War-era shells with a shaped charge warhead and nearly 7 kilograms of explosive material. Their range for older guns was a maximum of 16 kilometres, but with guns having a barrel length of 52 calibers, the maximum flight range increased to 30 kilometres. This allows for effectively neutralizing, for example, landing forces before they reach the shore.
