2 Battery (Tulepatarei 2) commander, Capt. Kaspar Põder, informed AK that: “This isn’t a tank or a entrance line weapon, and shouldn’t come below direct fireplace. It lacks sensors which might monitor the environment. Focusing on techniques are the identical as these utilized by the Koreans; merely, with fashionable machines, laptop software program carries out the work /…/ partly the [domestic produced fire control] Tooru software program, and partly laptop options supplied by the provider, which management the mechanical motion of the car.”
Compared with towed artillery items, the K9 Thunder (Estonian: “Kõu”) as with different SP weapons has an extended barrel, certainly one of 155mm caliber and which may give a variety of between 18 and 54km, relying on rounds used.
Thus far, the newer arrivals of K9 items are wholly “un-Estonianized”, AK reported, and nonetheless have Korean colours and inner labeling within the Korean language. The inside additionally incorporates state-of-the-art comms, water heater (for warming up ration packs), fireplace preventing tools and different options.
The weapon is utilized by a number of European nations, Capt. Kristjan Katmann, commander of 1 Battery, informed AK.
“If we take a look at Europe, the present customers are Finland and Norway, whereas Poland is a brand new adopter, and Australia is actually contemplating the K9 too.”
“South Korea has produced over 1,400 K9 models – I can not say the exact quantity, but when we evaluate it to [German made] Panzerhaubitz, they quantity aruond 500,” he added.
EDF conscript coaching on the K9 started a yaer in the past, whereas K9s proceed to reach in nation and to bear the conversion course of to suit EDF use and the native circumstances.
Round 500 rounds have already been fired with K9s on train in Estonia; the autos have lined 1,000km throughout that point, AK reported.
Crews practice in a fire-and-go tactic, moderately than pre-preparing set positions.
Estonian conscripts sometimes serve eight or 11-month phrases, relying on the specialty, after which they continue to be on reserve lists and are chargeable for snap workout routines resembling Okas.
Conscripts in South Korea additionally practice on the K9, albeit for an extended interval of service (two years), AK reported.
Twelve K9 conscript crews ought to be prepared for Spring Storm; battery commanders have acquired coaching in South Korea itself.
The primary consignments of K9s procured by Estonia arrived in 2020.
Whereas the preliminary procurement was for twenty-four items, with a €81.5 million price-tag, the modified safety scenario led to 12 extra being bought this month, for an additional €36 million.
The weapon was in actual fact utilized in anger in November 2010, in the course of the shock bombardment of Yeonpyeong Island, which lies close to a disputed maritime border between North and South Korea.
—
Comply with ERR Information on Fb and Twitter and by no means miss an replace!
