Hanwha's K9 draws attention in Egypt defense exhibition

A K9 self-propelled howitzer is on display at the Egypt Defence Expo (EDEX) 2021, at the Egypt International Exhibition Center in Cairo, Monday. Joint Press Corps

• Published Nov 30, 2021 5:36 PM KST
• Updated Dec 1, 2021 8:57 AM KST

By Jung Da-min, Joint Press Corps

CAIRO ― Hanwha Defense's showcasing of its K9 self-propelled howitzer at the Egypt Defence Expo (EDEX) 2021, the biggest defense exhibition event in the region, has drawn a lot of attention not just among participants of the exhibition including members of the Egyptian military but also among defense watchers in Korea.

The huge attention to Hanwha's K9 was partly because of the fact that the Egyptian Armed Forces are considering acquiring a package of K9s and support vehicles. If the deal goes through, the K9 would make its debut on the African defense market. Defense watchers are also paying attention to whether the possible deal could pave the way for local companies to gain standing in the African and Middle Eastern defense markets.

The K9 is popular in various regions around the world, with 1,700 in service in seven countries ― Korea, Turkey, India, Poland, Finland, Norway and Estonia; while Australia is in final negotiations to adopt an Australian version of the K9.

“Since the K9 is already the global No. 1 self-propelled howitzer operated in seven countries including Korea, there is great interest in African and Middle Eastern countries such as Egypt,” Son Jae-il, president and CEO of Hanwha Defense, said during an interview with Korean reporters Monday.

The CEO attributed the K9's success in different markets around the world to a marketing strategy tailored to each country and region. For example, to appeal to the Egyptian market, the company showcased a K9 in desert camouflage.

“We have already completed exports of the K9 to India along with a technology transfer and assistance for local production. We are making efforts to build local production facilities and create a supply chain with local companies in Australia, where negotiations are currently underway. Based on the know-how of such localization programs, we are planning to expand our entry into the Middle Eastern and African markets,” Son said.

“Countries in the Middle East and Africa often require defense technology transfer and localization programs. Although they have the financial power, they do not have advanced defense technology and related infrastructure, so they want to receive the technology and know-how of a defense powerhouse such as Korea.”

Son said he believes the growth of a country's defense industry also grows the national interest in that it contributes not only to the country's national security but also to the economy by creating more jobs.

“Hanwha Defense has been developing various military combat equipment over the past four decades and has played a pivotal role in enhancing military combat power and revitalizing the domestic defense industry. We feel proud and responsible for taking the lead in entering the global defense industry market with the Korean flag, including the export of the K9 and the entry of the Redback armored vehicle into the Australian market,” he said.

“In the future, we will invest more and put more effort into the development of future defense technology. Based on cutting-edge technology related to the Fourth Industrial Revolution, we plan to focus on the development of future weapons systems such as unmanned ground systems as well as upgrading our existing main products. Through this, we want to help the Korean defense industry achieve competitiveness and international recognition.”