Finland is executing a contract option for the purchase of additional K9 howitzers

The Ministry of Defense (MoD) of Finland has announced consent to the implementation of the existing contract option for the purchase of additional self-propelled 155-mm howitzers K9 Thunder.

The new version of the contract is valued at approximately $137.37 million (€134 million) and involves the purchase of 38 howitzers. This means a full redemption of the contract option.

The proposal to use this opportunity was approved by the Minister of Defense of Finland, Antti Kaikanen, and supported by the Finance Committee of the Government of Finland during a meeting on 17 November.

Kaikonen said: “I am pleased that the option to purchase these howitzers agreed in the procurement agreement will now be fully exercised.”

In an intergovernmental deal, Finland’s defense ministry first purchased K9 howitzers in 2017 from KOTRA, the trade and investment promotion agency run by the South Korean government.

The original deal called for the purchase of 48 K9 Thunders for the Army, as well as an additional option for 48 more howitzers.

The country later took advantage of the partial contract option, purchasing ten more howitzers, and the remaining 38 are being procured now.

This results in a total of K9 self-propelled armored howitzers to 96.

K9 Thunder howitzers are being procured to further enhance the Finnish Army’s firepower and available strike potential.

The Artillery Inspector of the Finnish Army Command, Colonel Pertti Holma, said:[A] The key advantage of this system is that it combines the elements of mobility, force protection and firepower.

“In this form, the self-propelled howitzer proved to be reliable and provided excellent proven experience of application both for the training of conscripts and for conducting fire.”

In August of this year Poland confirmed the acquisition 212 Thunder self-propelled howitzers and K2 Black Panther main battle tanks for his army.