South Korean defense giant Hanwha officially informed about concluding agreement with Spanish government within UTE ATP Cadenes program for rearming Spanish army with new 155mm artillery systems.
Despite such events usually being covered through official statements, Hanwha currently limited itself to entering corresponding entry in state register, which obliges informing about concluding contracts whose value exceeds 2.5% of annual revenue. Entry was made August 31, as Korean publications including Chosun write.
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No contract details are disclosed. Spanish government also refrains from official statements. However Defense Express notes UTE ATP Cadenes program details were published in December 2025. It provides for procuring under broad localization conditions 128 tracked 155mm self-propelled howitzers, which should replace existing M109s in service.
Also program covers procurement of 120 transport-loading vehicles, 11 command-staff vehicles and 21 ARVs, as well as maintenance, training and support services.
Overall procurement value within UTE ATP Cadenes is €4.554 billion. At same time, in Spanish specialized publications cooperation variant with Hanwha and K9 choice was immediately considered as primary. Key Spanish company implementing localization program was immediately named Indra, which in March this year concluded corresponding memorandum with Hanwha.
At same time, Spaniards seek quite broad rights regarding local production and design changes — effectively Spain will have full carte blanche. Specifically expected is Indra together with Escribano Mechanical & Engineering will produce vehicle hulls, howitzer components, integrate their fire control system and tactical information-combat system, communications systems and so on.
At same time, for Korean Hanwha such cooperation is nothing new. Specifically approximately such technology transfer volume was conducted to Turkey, which localized its K9 version under T-155 Fırtına name, and also in Australia's case. In Poland, K9 chassis was initially used in Krab SPH, and now Poles localize K9PL. At same time Poles acknowledged K9 is simpler to use than Krab.
Also worth adding K9 is currently global bestseller with 10 operator countries. At same time, wheeled K9MH version was ordered by U.S. Army, for now for testing, whose result opens path to astronomically sized contract for M777 replacement.
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