Norwegian defense company Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace has won a tender to upgrade and provide maintenance services for the K9EST Kõu self-propelled howitzers of the Estonian Defence Forces.
The information was reported by Defence24. The contract, announced on September 23 via the European public procurement platform TED, establishes a framework agreement valued at up to €50 million.
The program includes not only repairs and maintenance but also the supply of spare parts and consumables, ensuring the continuous operation of artillery systems within the Estonian Defence Forces’ Artillery Battalion.
According to Defence24, the selection of Kongsberg over the Polish company Huta Stalowa Wola is due to the fact that the latter has not yet fully developed the technical capabilities required to perform complete overhauls of K9A1 howitzers. These capabilities are expected to be established soon, enabling Poland to service its own K9A1 and K9PL fleets.
Estonia currently operates 24 K9A1 Thunder self-propelled howitzers, purchased from South Korea in three batches of 12 units each. The vehicles, locally designated as K9EST Kõu (“Thunder”), were taken from the Republic of Korea Army’s reserves and gradually integrated into Estonia’s land forces.
These systems play a vital role in modernizing the Baltic nation’s artillery forces, strengthening its operational readiness on NATO’s eastern flank.
Source: Defence24 | Estonian Defence Forces | Eesti Kaitsevägi X @Kaitsevagi. This content was created with AI assistance and reviewed by the editorial team.
