Tembakan AS9 Huntsman SPH Australia Menandakan Era Baharu Artileri Bergerak Asia Pasifik | Majalah Perdagangan

Australia’s Huntsman AS9 SPH Firing Marks New Era in Asia-Pacific Mobile Artillery

Huntsman Fires: Australia Achieves Critical Mobile Firepower Milestone with Hanwha AS9

Mohd Hanif Ismail - : Dec 4, 2025 - : 10:09 am

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The Australian Army has reached a significant operational milestone, successfully conducting the first live firing of the new AS9 Huntsman 155mm Self-Propelled Howitzer (SPH) on Australian soil. The event, held on 1st December 2025 at the Puckapunyal proving ground in Victoria, marks a powerful shift in the Australian Defence Force’s (ADF) artillery capability towards modern, protected mobile fire support, cementing a critical defence industry partnership within the Asia-Pacific region.

This introduction of the Huntsman SPH under the LAND 8116 Phase 1 Protected Mobile Fires (PMF) programme signifies a crucial upgrade from Australia’s previous towed artillery systems. The AS9 is an Australian-specific variant of the proven South Korean Hanwha K9 Thunder, one of the world's most widely exported and successful SPH platforms. The ‘shoot-and-scoot’ capacity is paramount to the Huntsman’s lethality and survivability, enabling the five-person crew to rapidly engage targets and relocate before coming under counter-battery fire, a necessary protection in contemporary and contested operational environments. The system is complemented by the AS10 Armoured Ammunition Resupply Vehicle (AARV), ensuring highly protected and automated logistics support for sustained operations.

The Australian Department of Defence confirmed the successful training, stating that soldiers from the School of Artillery and the 4th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, undertook the firing exercises. This live fire demonstration heralds the imminent entry into service of the new artillery regiment. The broader acquisition programme, valued at an estimated AU900 million to AU1.3 billion (approximately US603 million to US871 million) based on prevailing exchange rates, will see the ADF procure 30 AS9 SPHs and 15 AS10 AARVs over the next two years via Hanwha Defence Australia.

The selection of Hanwha, an Asian defence prime contractor, underscores the deepening industrial and military relationships across the Asia-Pacific. The K9 platform, already operational with key regional partners such as India and potentially Vietnam, establishes a vital commonality and interoperability pathway for Australia’s land forces in the theatre. Furthermore, the commitment to local manufacturing at the new Hanwha Armoured Vehicle Centre of Excellence (H-ACE) currently under construction in Geelong, Victoria, positions Australia not only as a user but as a specialised contributor to the global K9 supply chain, benefiting local industry and securing sovereign capability. This programme represents a strategic investment designed to provide the Australian Army with the long-range, protected, and responsive firepower essential for maintaining deterrence and contributing effectively to regional stability.