Hanwha Wins U.S. Army Contract for Wheeled Self-Propelled Howitzers

South Korean defense company Hanwha has won a competition to supply the U.S. Army with wheeled self-propelled artillery systems.

The U.S. Army reported the contract award.

The contract covers the production of up to 18 wheeled self-propelled howitzers for rapid prototyping, testing and evaluation by U.S. Army personnel.

The program is expected to run for approximately four years.

The current contract is valued at $100.3 million, while its total potential value could reach $262.9 million.

In the first phase, Hanwha Defense USA will deliver six MTC prototypes. The U.S. Army also has an option to purchase 12 additional systems.

Data collected during the experiments will be used to determine whether the MTC will enter serial production. If approved, the new system is intended to replace M777 towed howitzers in some U.S. Army units.

The MTC program is intended to replace more than 400 artillery systems in brigade combat teams, including light and mobile infantry formations. The new system is expected to significantly increase their firepower, mobility and reliability.
The MTC is to be based on a wheeled chassis, be equipped with a 49- to 56-caliber barrel and use ammunition already in service with the U.S. Army.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Army is conducting a separate competition for an upgraded ammunition resupply vehicle for the MTC. The military determined that the existing M1083/M1084 vehicles of the FMTV family are unsuitable for the rate of ammunition resupply the new howitzer will require during sustained combat operations.

In budget materials for fiscal 2026 released in April, the MTC was listed among the priority artillery modernization programs alongside the XM30 fighting vehicle and the NGC2 command system.

Earlier, Militarnyi reported that, in addition to the United States, Spain is developing a new wheeled self-propelled artillery system based on components of the South Korean K9 Thunder system.