O9 Komainu

O9 Komainu
A Dayashinese O9A1 Komainu during joint winter warfare drills with Banbha
Place of origin	Dayashina Hanhae
Service history
In service	O9: 1999-present O9A1: 20XX-present
Used by	Dayashina Hanhae Banbha Shijuku Mabondeni Sundan
Wars	2019 Invasion of Vyzhva Bakhriyan Civil War Kainan Crisis Sundanese Insurgencies
Production history
Designer	YRK Heavy Industries
Manufacturer	YRK Heavy Industries Byrne Heavy Industries YRK Meridia
Produced	O9: 1999-present O9A1:201X-present
No. built	4,000-5,000+
Variants	O10 ARV O11 FDCV O12 MGMV
Specifications
Weight	50t+
Length	12m
Width	3.4m
Height	2.73m
Crew	3
Maximum firing range	155km
Armour	KKR MIL-12560H armour steel and other classified plate
Main armament	O9: YRK S98 155m O9A1: YRK L60 155m
Secondary armament	13.2mm MG
Engine	8-cylinder water-cooled diesel engine 735 kW (1,000 hp) @ 2,700 rpm
Power/weight	21.3 hp/t
Transmission	Jangsu Dynamics X1100-5A3 4 forward, 2 reverse
Suspension	hydropneumatic
Operational range	360 km

The O9 Komainu is a series of self propelled artillery vehicles designed and developed by YRK Heavy Industries for Dayashina and Hanhae, with later variants produced for several other nations. It is manufactured by YRK Heavy Industries, Byrne Heavy Industries, and YRK Meridia. The O9 has several variants, including two variants of the howitzer (O9 and O9A1), an automated resupply vehicle (O10 ARV), a fire direction control vehicle (O11 FDCV), and an anti-tank guided missile/ground attack missile carrier vehicle (O12 MGMV). In addition to the Dayashinese and Hanhaean militaries, the O9 is in service with several nations across Septentrion, including Banbha (in service as FAT.99 Manticore), Shijuku, Sundan, and Mabondeni. The vehicle is named after the Komainu, a mythical Dayashinese animal resembling a lion and dog.

Development and design

In the 1980s, both Dayashinese and Hanhaean defence design bureaus were conducting research and studies on the development of a next generation self propelled howitzer for their armed forces. Both happened to have very similar requirements and conclusions, and thus officially began an collaborative design project in 1989 alongside YRK Heavy Industries, a joint Dayashinese-Hanhaean defence and heavy manufacturing company. Between the two countries, internal engineering reviews concluded that the vast majority of the technologies involved with production either were or could be localised.

YRK engineers excelled in developing the S98 155m main gun due to previous experience, but faced issues in developing the suspension, which delayed the overall development by a noteworthy margin. By the end of development, the O9 possessed a electrohydraulic turret driving system and an automatic fire control system, and hydropneumatic suspension. It is plated with KKR MIL-12560H armour steel developed from the Type 08 Kurohyou II project, which can withstand rounds up to 155m, alongside other classified materials. It is hardened against CBRN warfare, and capable of operating in virtually every environmental condition. The O9 is armed with a YRK S98 155m assisted by semi-automatic loading system, fire control system, and tactical control system. It achieved a 94% overall localisation rate between Dayashina and Hanhae by the end of development.

O9 prototypes were selected for trial by Dayashina and Hanhae in 1997, where they underwent thousands of firing, mobility, and durability tests, achieving a higher degree of success than both the Kawahara SGX prototype and the Jangsu Dynamics G9 prototype, alongside multiple other foreign options being trialed. The first contract for the O9 was awarded to YRK Heavy Industries in 1999 and was first fielded to the Republic of Dayashina Marine Corps in Takena.

Variants and upgrades

O9A1

The O9A1 is a direct upgrade of the O9 which includes a long list of improvements to the operational capability of the vehicle. O9A1 development work began in the 2000s, and took off when multiple governments expressed interest in the O9 platform and the O9A1 project. The Dayashinese Defence Acquisitions Agency and Banbhan Defence Procurement Agency provided independent lists of design requests to YRK, most notably including the implementation of a longer-range main gun platform, a bustle dual autoloader, repackaged hull environmental and APU systems, an updated power pack. YRK engineers were able to produce the bustle dual autoloader, environmental and APU systems, while it licenced the updated power pack. As for the updated armament, three O9A1 prototypes were created and trialed in 20XX, one which included a YRK S99 main gun, one which included an L60 main gun, and one which included a Jangsu Dynamics JD29 main gun. Of the three, the L60 variant achieved more consistent performance at extreme ranges, significantly more so than the S99 and marginally moreso than the JD29. As such, YRK opted to licence full production of the L60 and began production of the O9A1. The O9A1 was purchased by Dayashina and Hanhae in 20XX. Furthermore, it was selected for procurement by Banbha, where Byrne Heavy Industries acquired a licence for local production from YRK in 20XX. The O9A1 was selected for procurement by Shijuku in 20XX as an upgrade to their extant O9s.

O10 ARV

The O10 ARV is a highly protected automated resupply vehicle designed as a complement to the O9, O9A1, and O12 MGMV. The vehicle can carry over 100 shells of 155m ammunition, over 500 units of charges, or a varying number of NLOS ATGMS, loitering munitions, and ground attack missiles. It takes approximately 37 minutes to fully load, and 28 minutes to empty the O10.

O11 FDCV

The O11 is a command and control, reconnaissance, and communications variant of the O10.

O12 MGMV

The O12 MGMV is designed as a platform to carry and launch multiple NLOS (non line of sight) anti tank guided missiles, loitering munitions, long range ground attack missiles. It is in service with Dayashina, Shijuku, and Banbha in different configurations.

Operators

Dayashina

The Republic of Dayashina Defence Forces operate XXXX O9 Komainus, nearly all to O9A1 standard

Hanhae

The Hanhaean Armed Forces operate XXX O9 Komainus, mostly to O9A1 standard

Banbha

The Banbhan Armed Forces operate XXXX FAT.99 Manticores (licenced and locally produced O9A1)

Shijuku

The Shijukunese Army operates XXXX O9 Komainus

Sundan

The Sundanese Army operates XXX O9 Komainus

Mabondeni

The Mabondenian Imperial Army operates XXXX O9 Komainus