South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace Inks First Vietnam Defense Export Deal
South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace has finalized an export contract with Vietnam for its K9 self-propelled howitzers, marking the country’s first arms sale to Vietnam after previous transfers of retired patrol vessels.
The government-to-government agreement, valued at $250 million, will see 20 K9 units delivered through the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency by late 2025, according to Yonhap and The Korea Herald.
Strategic Expansion
The deal coincides with Vietnamese President To Lam’s state visit to Seoul, where both sides pledged stronger ties across multiple sectors. Vietnam thus becomes the 11th operator of the 155mm tracked artillery system, alongside India, Poland, Australia, Finland, Norway, Turkey, Egypt, Estonia, Romania, and South Korea.
Vietnam’s procurement is particularly notable given its long-standing defense reliance on Russia, from which it acquired 80 percent of its weapons between 2000 and 2023, as per SIPRI.
Capabilities
The K9’s balance of firepower, mobility, and affordability—priced at around $12 million per unit—was key to the acquisition. It can travel 360 kilometers at speeds up to 67 kilometers per hour, with the ability to fire conventional or guided shells to a range of 50 kilometers.
