U.S. Army names Hanwha prototype howitzer 'XM1776'
Hanwha Aerospace delivered its first wheeled K9MH prototype to the U.S. Army, which unveiled its XM1776 designation in Washington.
The K9MH, a K9 wheeled self-propelled howitzer, is displayed in the 2026 Association of the United States Army Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington on Oct. 12.
HANWHA AEROSPACE
Hanwha Aerospace has delivered the first prototype of its wheeled K9 howitzer to the U.S. Army, which has named it after the year America declared independence.
The delivery follows a contract signed in August to supply prototypes of the K9MH, the wheeled version of the K9 self-propelled howitzer, for the U.S. Army’s Mobile Tactical Cannon program, Hanwha Aerospace said Tuesday.
The XM1776 designation was unveiled at the Association of the United States Army Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington, with Lt. Gen. Frank Lozano, who oversees fires acquisition for the U.S. Army, in attendance.
The U.S. Army gives designations starting with “X” to equipment in development and testing, and drops the letter once the equipment is formally adopted. The designation comes as the United States marks the 250th anniversary of its independence this year.
A K9MH prototype built in Changwon, South Gyeongsang, was flown from Korea on Sept. 24, the first day of the Chuseok holiday, for display at the show. Hanwha’s booth covers about 300 square meters (3,230 square feet). The booth also features the tracked K9 howitzer, the K10 ammunition resupply vehicle, the Chunmoo multiple rocket launcher and launchers for the M-SAM and L-SAM.
A diorama shows the production process at the ammunition plant Hanwha is building at Pine Bluff Arsenal in Arkansas. The plant will produce 155-millimeter artillery shell components and propellant charges from raw materials to finished products.
Affiliate Hanwha Systems presented its short-range active electronically scanned array radar in North America for the first time. The radar is designed to detect small drones.
“As the U.S. Army rapidly pushes to modernize its forces across artillery, fires and maritime domains, we have brought together Hanwha’s land defense capabilities in one place,” a Hanwha Aerospace official said. “Through timely delivery of the XM1776 prototype and building local production bases in Alabama and Arkansas, we will establish ourselves as a partner the U.S. Army can trust.”
BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [[email protected]]
