The AS9 Huntsman is the newest self-propelled artillery cannon in service with the Australian Army, intended to phase out its aging M-777 howitzers.

The Australian Army has deployed its first operational battery of AS9 Huntsman 155mm self-propelled howitzers. 

The introduction of the AS9 Huntsman—an Australian-specific variant of South Korea’s highly effective K9 Thunder howitzer, in wide demand around the world—greatly increases the long-range capabilities of the Australian military.

About Australia’s AS9 Huntsman 155mm Self-Propelled Howitzer  

• Year Introduced: 2025 
• Number Built: 42 (total order) 
• Length: 40 feet 8 inches (12.4 meters)  
• Total weight, battle-ready: 52 tonnes  
• Suspensions: Enhanced hydropneumatic suspension system 
• Engine: 1,000-horsepower MTU MT 881 Ka500 8-cylinder water-cooled diesel engine 
• Armament: 52 caliber 155mm gun system that can fire standard high explosive shells at 18.6 miles (30 km) and rocket-assisted shells at 24.8 miles (40 km); maximum rate of fire six rounds per minute; several options for secondary armament, including 7.62mm MAG58, 0.5 caliber M2HB, and MK47 40mm grenade launcher.  
• Top Speed: 37 mph (60km/h) 
• Range: Up to 300 miles (~480 kilometers) 
• Crew: 5

Australia’s AS9 Huntsman Howitzer Is Now Operational  

The Australian Army’s 106 Battery, 4th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, is the first operational AS9 Huntsman 155mm self-propelled howitzer unit with six systems.  

“[AS9 Huntsman is] an incredible piece of equipment … it comes out of a hide to a firing position in seconds, fires off rounds faster than the M777 (Howitzer towed artillery) and moves very quickly back into a hide and that means if an enemy does identify us, they are unable to respond in time before it has already moved to a new position,” 4th Regiment Commanding Officer Lt. Col. Simon Frewin said. 

The Australian government announced the AS9 contract with South Korean defense conglomerate Hanwha Group in 2019. The contract was worth approximately AUD $1.3 billion (USD $905 million) and included 30 AS9 Huntsman vehicles and 15 AS10 armored ammunition resupply vehicles.

The AS9’s 155mm gun is the same one used by the US military and NATO’s forces, thus making joint operations and resupply easier.

According to the Australian Army, the AS9 Huntsman 155mm howitzer “is a protected, mobile artillery system capable of delivering accurate fire at range under armor, designed to move, fire and relocate quickly to sustain fire support while reducing vulnerability.” It will replace the Australian Army’s current M-777 155mm towed howitzer, also known as the “triple seven.”

There is a marked difference between the AS9 Huntsman and the M-777. For example, the tracked howitzer allows crews to fire once the gun is in action as opposed to going through a manual setup process  necessary on the M-777. 

Have Drones Dethroned Artillery as the “King of Battle”? Not Yet

The war in Ukraine has reaffirmed the role of artillery as the “king of the battlefield,” as French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, himself an artillery officer in his youth, famously said.  

In the initial months of the conflict, artillery accounted for as many as 85 percent of the total casualties on the battlefield. However, the wide introduction of the one-way attack unmanned aerial system, colloquially known as the kamikaze drone, reduced the artillery’s “share” of the casualty market. Nevertheless, artillery remains one of the deadliest weapons on the modern battlefield. And 155mm howitzers, tracked or towed, stand out from the competition as the most effective and useful.  

The introduction of the AS9 Huntsman 155mm self-propelled howitzer will add flexible long-range capabilities to the Australian Army and make it a more effective fighting force on the modern battlefield.  

About the Author: Stavros Atlamazoglou   

Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from the Johns Hopkins University, an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), and a JD from Boston College Law School. His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.

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