Australia Conducts First Live Fire with new AS9 Huntsman Howitzers in Significant Artillery Milestone.

Australian Army personnel conducted the first live fire exercises at the Puckapunyal Military Area in Victoria, where the AS9 Huntsman 155mm Self-Propelled Howitzer was fired on Australian soil for the first time. The event highlights a significant leap in Australia's long-range precision-strike capability as the Army moves toward modernized, networked artillery forces.

Australian army artillery units marked a historic milestone by conducting the first live firing with the AS9 Huntsman, a next-generation self-propelled 155mm howitzer, at the Puckapunyal training complex in Victoria. According to information released by the Australian Army, teams from the School of Artillery and the 4th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, executed these landmark drills. The event gave crews their initial chance to validate gunnery procedures, mobility workflows, and digital fire control systems in Australian conditions, representing an important step in operational integration of the platform.
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 Australian troops from the School of Artillery and the 4th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, conducted live-fire training with the new AS9 Huntsman Self-Propelled Howitzer at Puckapunyal, Victoria—marking the first-ever firing of the system by Australian forces on home soil. (Picture source: Australia MoD)

The AS9 is a locally adapted variant of South Korea’s K9 Thunder tracked self-propelled howitzer, developed through an industrial partnership between Hanwha Defense Australia and the Commonwealth of Australia. The landmark defense contract, valued at approximately $1 billion AUD, was finalized in 2021 and includes the acquisition of 30 AS9 Huntsman Self-Propelled Howitzers along with 15 AS10 Armoured Ammunition Resupply Vehicles. These systems are being delivered under the Protected Mobile Fires program and represent a centerpiece of the Army’s ambition to field a self-propelled artillery capability with significantly enhanced range, survivability, and mobility.

The live-fire event at Puckapunyal not only served as an operational validation of the AS9 platform under Australian command but also represented the first hands-on test for Royal Australian Artillery crews after months of technical training and integration. For soldiers of the 4th Regiment, the opportunity to conduct live firing from a tracked howitzer with modern digital fire control systems marks a generational shift from legacy to next-generation artillery doctrine.

The AS9 Huntsman, while based on South Korea’s proven K9 Thunder platform, features several key modifications tailored to meet Australian operational requirements and environmental conditions. Compared to the baseline K9, the AS9 incorporates enhanced mine and ballistic protection, improved crew survivability systems, and an upgraded communications suite compatible with Australian Army battle management networks. It also includes a more advanced inertial navigation and fire control system adapted for integration with the Australian command-and-control architecture. Externally, the AS9 retains the K9’s overall layout and 155mm L/52 gun system but is configured to support higher levels of automation, improved cooling systems for operations in hotter climates, and compatibility with the AS10 armoured resupply vehicle, which was developed in parallel to sustain long-duration fire missions in dispersed and mobile formations.

Built around a proven chassis and combat-tested artillery system, the AS9 delivers a sustained rate of fire of six to eight rounds per minute and can strike targets beyond 40 kilometers using rocket-assisted projectiles. The platform’s ability to rapidly reposition after firing reduces its vulnerability to counter-battery fire, a critical factor in modern peer-level conflict scenarios. Its integration into the Australian Army’s force structure not only boosts lethality but also aligns with emerging doctrines emphasizing high mobility, decentralized operations, and survivability in contested environments.

Strategically, the deployment of AS9 Huntsman howitzers positions the Australian Army among a growing cohort of Indo-Pacific militaries investing heavily in mobile firepower to counterbalance evolving regional threats. The acquisition is particularly notable in light of the AUKUS defense pact and Canberra’s increasing emphasis on integrated deterrence across sea and land domains. The inclusion of the AS10 resupply vehicles, purpose-built to operate in concert with the AS9s, ensures operational endurance and ammunition throughput during extended engagements.

Hanwha Defense Australia has also committed to building these systems domestically at its Geelong-based facility in Victoria, fostering sovereign defense manufacturing capabilities and supporting the government’s push for a resilient defense industrial base. Local production not only promises economic dividends through job creation and skills transfer but also lays the groundwork for future technology exports and regional sustainment hubs.

This successful live-fire demonstration marks a pivotal advancement for the Australian Army, confirming the transition to artillery systems where precision, mobility, and survivability deliver tangible advantages. As the AS9 and AS10 platforms are phased in, their integration will enable rapid, lethal, and resilient fire support across diverse operational scenarios.

Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.