The Australian Defence Force said the move from the Geelong production line to the completion of the first introduction-into-service training course took only a matter of months. The AS9 is based on Hanwha’s K9 Thunder, with the first firing described in the release as sounding like cracks of thunder.
Director General Systems and Integration Brigadier James Davis said the result showed coordinated work between Army, the Capability, Acquisition and Sustainment Group, and industry partners. He said the effort had helped deliver the new capability at pace.
“This live-fire shows how effectively we’re working with our industry and acquisition partners to bring new capability into service,” Brigadier Davis said. “To move from an Australian production line to trained crews conducting live-fire in a short timeframe is a significant achievement.”
“Through strong partnerships, we are delivering modern, Australian-built capability that strengthens Army and contributes to a more self-reliant Defence Force,” Brigadier Davis said.
The AS9 Huntsman is a protected, mobile artillery system designed to deliver accurate fire at range under armour. It is built to move, fire and relocate quickly, sustaining fire support while reducing vulnerability.
Commanding Officer School of Artillery Lieutenant Colonel Chris D’Aquino said the training was an important step in introducing the system to Army personnel. “This capability enhances how we deliver firepower. It’s protected, mobile and far more responsive than what it replaces,” Lieutenant Colonel D’Aquino said.
“For our gunners, this is about building confidence in a new system and learning how to employ it under realistic conditions. Training like this ensures we can put capability into soldiers’ hands quickly and safely,” Lieutenant Colonel D’Aquino said.
For many of the soldiers involved, the activity was their first time firing the AS9 as a complete crew. The live-fire activity allowed them to apply weeks of training on the range.
Gunner Maxwell Cleal, who has served for two years on towed artillery, said the course introduced soldiers to a different style of artillery, including driving tracked vehicles. “The gunner puts all the information into the system, presses a button and it lays the gun,” he said.
The tracked platform allowed crews to fire once the gun came into action. The release said this differs from the manual setup process required on the M777.
