By Chang Dong-woo
WASHINGTON, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- Hanwha Defense USA (HDUSA) and the U.S. Army have officially designated the American version of Hanwha's K9 self-propelled howitzer as the XM1776 Mobile Tactical Cannon (MTC), the company has announced.
According to HDUSA, a U.S. subsidiary of South Korean defense giant Hanwha Aerospace Co., the company held a naming ceremony for the XM1776 at the Association of the U.S. Army's (AUSA) 2026 Annual Meeting and Exposition on Tuesday in Washington.
In August, HDUSA was selected to provide prototypes based on a wheeled variant of the best-selling K9 Thunder self-propelled artillery system for the MTC program, which aims to develop a highly mobile 155-millimeter artillery system to replace the Army's aging M777 towed howitzers.
HDUSA also announced that the U.S. Army has ordered a total of nine prototype XM1776 systems, with an option for nine additional units.
The XM1776 is a wheeled artillery system designed to support the U.S. Army's modernization efforts, including improvements in mobility and long-range precision fires capabilities.
"The XM1776 Mobile Tactical Cannon represents the launch of the U.S. Army's new long-range precision fires modernization effort and its powerful partnership with HDUSA to produce this system at speed and scale," said Mike Smith, HDUSA's chief operating officer.
Hanwha said it is establishing an integration and testing facility in Opelika, Alabama, for the XM1776 and its family of K9 howitzers.
The company said it plans to meet with more than 70 existing and potential U.S. suppliers as part of efforts to localize its supply chain and expand the U.S. artillery industrial base.
More than 2,500 K9 howitzers have been deployed worldwide, according to the company, which is seeking to leverage its global production experience to strengthen U.S. artillery manufacturing capabilities.
This photo captured from Hanwha Defense USA's social media account shows company executives and military officials at a naming ceremony for the XM1776, the U.S. version of Hanwha Aerospace's K9 self-propelled howitzer, held at the Association of the U.S. Army's 2026 Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington on Oct. 12, 2026. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
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