Eastern European NATO allies of the United States continue to invest in expanding their artillery fleet against the background of the armed conflict in Ukraine. The Estonian Ministry of Defense has announced that it has placed an order for another 12 K9 Thunder howitzers from the South Korean company Hanwha, Defense News reports today, January 18.
The Estonian Armed Forces plan to acquire a total of 36 South Korean self-propelled artillery mounts (ACS). The cost of the latest contract is about 36 million euros ($39 million), the Baltic republic’s national defense investment center said in a statement.
“Today’s war in Ukraine clearly shows how important indirect fire means are,” said Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur. “In light of the lessons learned in Ukraine, we made the quick decision to equip both infantry brigades with additional K9 Thunder mobile howitzers and take Estonian indirect firepower to a whole new level.”
Poland has also previously ordered the 155mm K9 Thunder self-propelled guns, with the first batch of 24 strike systems received last month. In total, the South Korean Hanwha is to supply the Polish military with 212 K9 Thunders self-propelled guns, and another 460 howitzers can be manufactured by the Polish defense industry under license.
In December 2022, Estonia signed a contract with the United States to purchase six M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), joining a rapidly growing group of Eastern European allies that are eyeing such weapons. That same month, Lithuania and the United States signed a deal to supply eight HIMARS. The third Baltic country, Latvia, also intends to purchase these multiple launch rocket systems for its armed forces, the American edition notes.
Speaking on January 6, the head of the Estonian Defense Ministry expressed confidence that the acquisition of HIMARS by the three Baltic republics would strengthen “interoperability on NATO’s eastern flank” and be “a milestone in the development of long-range indirect fire capabilities” of their armed forces.
