The companies signed the contract on 28 August 2026, ending several months of uncertainty following Spain’s selection of the K9. Questions had remained over the extent to which the system would be adapted and produced in Spain.
South Korean media first reported the agreement three days after it was signed. Its value and delivery schedule have not been disclosed.
An advance payment equal to 20% of the contract value is expected to be made promptly. Hanwha is due to receive another instalment worth 5% of the agreement by the end of 2026.
South Korean reports indicated that the contract value could still change, suggesting the order may be expanded. The current package covers almost 300 vehicles, including 128 howitzers, 120 ammunition vehicles, 11 command-and-fire-control vehicles and 21 recovery vehicles.
Spain has not disclosed whether it will acquire the K9A1 or the newer and more automated K9A2. The K9A2 would represent a capability increase because its automatic loader raises the rate of fire to between nine and 10 rounds per minute.
The level of Spanish industrial involvement also remains unclear. The systems will be produced or assembled at Indra’s site in Gijón, where a new final-assembly facility is planned.
Earlier reports indicated that Spain intends to develop a broader family of artillery vehicles based on the K9. The acquisition is being conducted through the ATP-C tracked self-propelled artillery modernisation programme.
The programme will replace M109A5E howitzers introduced into Spanish service in the 1970s. The Spanish Army currently operates 96 M109A5E howitzers, 158 M548 tracked ammunition vehicles and 18 M548/6 SEM-1I vehicles.
