Ministry of Industry and Defense Acquisition Program Administration, K9 Self-Propelled Howitzer Domestic No.1 Engine Delivered

STX Engine, Hanwha Aero, and Others Participate
Localization of Over 500 Key Components

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration announced that, together with STX Engine, they held the 'K9 Self-Propelled Howitzer Domestic No.1 Engine Delivery Ceremony' at the Changwon factory on the 27th. About 60 officials attended the event, including Park Seong-taek, 1st Vice Minister of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Seok Jong-geon, Administrator of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, Lee Sang-soo, CEO of STX Engine, and Moon Ji-hoon, Vice President of Hanwha Aerospace.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for technological cooperation to localize core defense materials and components in 2020 and officially began developing the domestic engine for the K9 self-propelled howitzer in April 2021.

This project invested a total of 32.1 billion KRW, including 22.8 billion KRW of national funds, and succeeded in localizing and mass-producing about 500 core engine parts within three years. The Ministry explained, "The domestic engine has improved performance and economic efficiency compared to the existing engine and has independent export capabilities, so it is expected that the global market entry of the K9 self-propelled howitzer will expand further."

The project involved STX Engine, Hanwha Aerospace, Shinbo, Korea Automotive Technology Institute, Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials, and Hanyang University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation.

Vice Minister Park Seong-taek stated, "For K-defense to continue to accelerate in the intensifying global export competition, self-reliance in core defense materials and components is more important than anything else," adding, "We will put more effort into securing core technologies for high value-added defense materials, components, and equipment."

Administrator Seok Jong-geon said, "Through cooperation with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, even the engine, the heart of the K9 self-propelled howitzer, has been localized, making the K9 a true premium weapon of our country," and added, "We will further strengthen inter-ministerial cooperation based on the success of this project."

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration also announced plans to jointly promote the development of next-generation core technologies such as hydrogen fuel cell systems and advanced aircraft engines, as well as cooperate to secure technologies for 60 core materials, components, and equipment in five advanced defense sectors including defense semiconductors.