CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — The Australian Army fired an AS9 Huntsman 155mm self-propelled howitzer on home soil for the first time this month, as crews have begun intensive training on the new artillery system before it rolls into service.
The Huntsman will eventually equip the Australian Army’s 3rd Brigade, a formation undergoing a dramatic transformation as a plethora of new equipment is set to arrive.
Australia has never operated a self-propelled howitzer before, and the weapon extends the range of the army’s tube artillery to around 25 miles. The AS9 is an Australianized version of the K9 from Hanwha Aerospace in South Korea.
Maj. Gen. Jason Blain, the head of land systems at the Australian Ministry of Defence, described the AS9 as a “highly mobile, protected and potent self-propelled howitzer, which gives our troops the best possible chance of completing their missions and returning home safely to their families.”
He added: “As soon as the last round leaves the barrel, the AS9 Huntsman is quickly on the move to its next mission, while ensuring our soldiers remain safely behind armored protection.”
The Australian Army is acquiring 30 AS9 Huntsman as well as 15 associated AS10 ammunition resupply vehicles. Hanwha Defence Australia is manufacturing most of these at a new factory near Melbourne.
Brigadier Ben McLennan, commander of 3rd Brigade, said his unit is transitioning to become a heavy armored formation with new assets like the AS9.
Other new kit heading the brigade’s way includes M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams tanks, AS21 Redback infantry fighting vehicles, several types of Abrams-based combat engineering vehicles, and Boxer 8×8 combat reconnaissance vehicles.
The first tranche of the new AS9 howitzers is set to reach soldiers in 2026, with most slated to be delivered by the end of 2027, McLennan told Defense News.
The brigade of 3,000 personnel has already received its full complement of Abrams tanks.
“We’ve received the first batch of combat engineer vehicles too: the Assault Breaching Vehicle and Joint Assault Bridge. We’ll secure the balance of the engineer platforms over the coming 12-18 months,” McLennan said.
Meanwhile, Redback vehicles, also made by Hanwha, are scheduled for delivery starting in 2027 and lasting through 2029 or 2030.
Those vehicles will be preceded slightly with new Boxers around 2028-2029. McLennan’s brigade is second in line for a Boxer complement after Brisbane-based 7th Brigade gets their fill.
McLennan said the arrival of so much new weaponry in such a short span of time presents “a very steep” learning curve, adding: ”These platforms are a step change for us – cognitively, tactically and physically.”
Despite the deadly dominance of drones and loitering munitions in the Ukraine war, McLennan firmly believes there is still a role for heavy armor on contemporary battlefields.
“What the Ukraine-Russian war also shows us is that, the more things change, the more they stay the same,” he said, pointing to longstanding principles like field leadership, vehicle craft and rifle skills.
Gordon Arthur is an Asia correspondent for Defense News. After a 20-year stint working in Hong Kong, he now resides in New Zealand. He has attended military exercises and defense exhibitions in about 20 countries around the Asia-Pacific region.
