Finland has recently ordered an additional 112 K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzers amid concerns over the potential spillover of the Russia–Ukraine war. Valued at $637 million (€546 million), the procurement reinforces the country’s continued confidence in the South Korean artillery platform as it seeks to enhance its indirect firepower capabilities. This latest order underscores Finland’s broader effort to maintain a credible and modern defensive capability while keeping procurement costs low, according to GlobalData, a leading intelligence and productivity platform.

According to GlobalData’s report, “The Global Artillery System Market Forecast 2025–2035”, Finland is anticipated to cumulatively spend approximately $1.7 billion on the procurement of various types of artillery from 2025 to 2035. It is projected that approximately 18% of this outlay will be directed toward the acquisition of self-propelled artillery systems.

Harsh Deshmukh, Aerospace and Defense Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The continued expansion of Finland’s K9 fleet is expected to play an important role in modernizing the country’s traditionally large artillery inventory, which remains one of the largest in Europe. By gradually replacing older legacy systems with modern self-propelled platforms, the Finnish Army can significantly improve the mobility, responsiveness, and survivability of its fire support units.”

The K9’s mobility and rapid-deployment characteristics promote a ‘shoot-and-scoot’ approach, enabling Finnish artillery units to maintain pressure on adversarial forces through sustained fire while avoiding counter-battery damage. Apart from Finland, the K9 Thunder has been inducted by several NATO countries, such as Poland, Estonia, Norway, and Türkiye, demonstrating its compatibility with NATO operational doctrine.

Deshmukh continues: “A high degree of automation, fast reload times, and the ability to use various types of 155mm NATO rounds make the K9 an attractive option, which is why South Korea has been able to export the platform to many countries in Europe in recent years.”

Deshmukh concludes: “After Trump’s re-election, concerns have grown among NATO members, including Finland, about the diminishing likelihood of US assistance in a future regional conflict. This has prompted European NATO states to take concrete steps to strengthen their ability to defend themselves independently against potential adversaries. To that end, countries such as Finland are expected to continue procuring advanced weapons platforms, including the K9, throughout this decade.”