VIDAR
Contents
Description
The Versatile InDirect ARtillery is a self-propelled fasz artillery system fielded by Norway since 2019. The system is an export version of the South Korean K9 Thunder Self-Propelled Artillery Gun, which Norway acquired to replace its aging M109A3GNMs of American origin. The orders so far have been in two batches, the initial 2017 contract for 24 K9s and an extra order in 2022 for 4 more systems. The system has some differences compared to the South Korean version, most notably the ODIN fire control system developed domestically and direct-fire enabling equipment. This system was given to the Artilleribataljonen of the Brigade Nord, the only artillery unit in the Norwegian army.
Introduced in Update "Sons of Attila", the VIDAR is fitted with excellent optics and fire control system. At its BR, it is one of the few vehicles with both a thermal imaging system and a laser rangefinder. Its best round is a 155 mm HE shell that is capable of destroying most tanks, but requires very good aiming when it faces heavily armoured targets like the T-55AM-1. The vehicle also has a fairly poor turret rotation speed and no stabilizer, and, being an artillery system, the armor protection is fairly thin and its gun depression limited. However, it has good mobility for a vehicle of its size, and a very good reverse speed of 42 km/h. The VIDAR is best suited for highly mobile warfare, moving around rapidly after firing a few accurate shells towards your enemies.
General info
Survivability and armour
The VIDAR is a variant of the ROKA's K9A1 Thunder SPH, making it one of the newest vehicles in the game. However, even a modern SPH is still a SPH, so the vehicle does not sport armour thick enough to deflect anything above heavy MG fire at range. This is not a major issue in real life, as SPHs aren't meant to engage enemy armor directly, but in War Thunder is definitely something to keep note of. The vehicle can deflect 20 mm autocannon fire from the common Rh202 (20 mm) or similar cannons on various vehicles at this tier from mid to long range as well, but at close range it can most definitely give you a bad day.
The SPG is extremely sturdy and will not take overpressure damage unless hit by an enemy howitzer / large caliber HE shell or hit in three very specific weak spots - the belly right above the tracks next to the turret (very low likelihood), the turret ring or the gun breech (only vulnerable to 105+ mm HE and poses risk of the cannon barrel catching the shell), so anyone trying to fire a poorly placed chemical round at the VIDAR may find their shell doing surprisingly little before being blasted back to the hangar. Kinetic shells however will easily penetrate the vehicle anywhere, so positioning yourself so that teammates cover the flanks against enemy advances is always a good idea to stay in the fight for longer.
As for the crews, thanks to the long hull and large engine block, shrapnel from enemy shots to the hull generally have a hard time causing lethal damage to the turret crew (but costs the driver); if enemy players shoot the turret instead, if the spalling reaches your ammunition racks stationed in the turret rear you may experience what is known as a 'significant emotional event'.
Armour type:
| Armour | Front (Slope angle) | Sides | Rear | Roof |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hull | 40 mm | 35 mm Top 35 mm Bottom |
35 mm | 10 - 35 mm |
| Turret | 35 mm Turret front 20 mm Gun mantlet |
35 mm | 35 - 45 mm | 35 mm |
| Cupola | 20 mm | 20 mm | 20 mm | 20 mm |
Notes:
Mobility
| Game Mode | Max Speed (km/h) | Weight (tons) | Engine power (horsepower) | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forward | Reverse | Stock | Upgraded | Stock | Upgraded | ||
| Arcade | 73 | 44 | 48 | 1,420 | 1,908 | 29.58 | 39.75 |
| Realistic | 68 | 40 | 884 | 1,000 | 18.42 | 20.83 | |
To drive the K9 series and its ~47 ton weight up to a max speed of 67 km/h, the K9 uses a powerpack with 1,000 HP. The STX Engine-MTU joint-venture for the MTU 881Ka-500 V8 engine and SNT Dynamics-Allison joint-venture for the X1100-5A3 transmission enable the vehicle to have a HP/t ratio of over 20, which is almost unheard of for an SPH in this weight class. This was due to the 'shoot-and-scoot' battle doctrine, and as a result, the VIDAR is incredibly mobile for its size while also having high reverse to boot as well. Even other SPHs considered mobile like the 2S3M top out at 18.9 HP/t and have less armour, lack the initial rate of fire, and fire their shells at a noticeably lower velocity, giving the VIDAR a distinct niche.
Modifications and economy
2 × 150 / 210 / 250 % 2 × 190 / 190 / 190 % | Mobility | Protection | Firepower | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Armaments
Main armament
To provide credible and powerful deterrence against potential foreign adversaries, Hyundai WIA developed the domestic 155 mm CN98 L/52 howitzer for the K9 Thunder, while keeping it compatible with NATO standard 155 mm ammunition. This most certainly helped export the VIDAR to Norway; thanks to its rather fast reload rate (for the first three shells on the "ready-rack") and a wide variety of compatible ammunition, the CN98 cannon makes the VIDAR a fearsome SPH against all enemies it faces, be it something hardened against nuclear war like the Object 279 or something very modern such as the M1 Abrams if you hit their weakspots.
| 155 mm CN98 | Turret rotation speed (°/s) | Reloading rate (seconds) | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mode | Capacity | Vertical | Horizontal | Stabilizer | Stock | Upgraded | Full | Expert | Aced | Stock | Full | Expert | Aced |
| Arcade | 48 | -2°/+70° | ±180° | - | 8.8 | 12.2 | 14.8 | 16.4 | 17.4 | 7.80 | 6.90 | 6.36 | 6.00 |
| Realistic | 5.9 | 7.0 | 8.5 | 9.4 | 10.0 | ||||||||
Ammunition
| Penetration statistics | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Type of warhead |
Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm) | |||||
| 10 m | 100 m | 500 m | 1,000 m | 1,500 m | 2,000 m | ||
| M107 | HE | 61 | 61 | 61 | 61 | 61 | 61 |
| M107 (PF) | HE-VT | 61 | 61 | 61 | 61 | 61 | 61 |
| OE F3 | HE | 61 | 61 | 61 | 61 | 61 | 61 |
| Shell details | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Type of warhead |
Velocity (m/s) |
Projectile mass (kg) |
Fuse delay (m) |
Fuse sensitivity (mm) |
Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (kg) |
Ricochet | |||||
| 0% | 50% | 100% | ||||||||||
| M107 | HE | 563 | 43.1 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 9.14 | 79° | 80° | 81° | |||
| OE F3 | HE | 935 | 44.4 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 9 | 79° | 80° | 81° | |||
| Proximity-fused shell details | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Type of warhead |
Velocity (m/s) |
Projectile mass (kg) |
Fuse delay (m) |
Fuse sensitivity (mm) |
Arming distance (m) |
Trigger radius (m) |
Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (kg) |
Ricochet | |||
| 0% | 50% | 100% | ||||||||||
| M107 (PF) | HE-VT | 580 | 43.1 | 0 | 0 | 300 | 3 | 9.14 | 79° | 80° | 81° | |
| Smoke shell characteristics | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Velocity (m/s) |
Projectile mass (kg) |
Screen radius (m) |
Screen deploy time (s) |
Screen hold time (s) |
Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g) |
| M110 | 563 | 40.8 | 21 | 5 | 30 | 50 |
Ammo racks
| Full ammo |
Ammo type |
1st rack empty |
2nd rack empty |
3rd rack empty |
4th rack empty |
5th rack empty |
Visual discrepancy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48 | Projectiles Propellants |
34 (+14) 31 (+17) |
19 (+29) 21 (+27) |
10 (+38) 3 (+45) |
3 (+45) 1 (+47) |
1 (+47) N/A |
No |
Machine guns
| 12.7 mm M2HB | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount | Capacity (Belt) | Fire rate | Vertical | Horizontal |
| Pintle | 600 (200) | 575 | -6°/+15° | ±180° |
Usage in battles
The VIDAR's CN98 cannon can only inflict damage with HE rounds, so players should be aware of how overpressure works in War Thunder. Having some knowledge of where vehicles can be overpressured (turret rooftops, the upper plates of the hull, areas around hull ammunition storages and so on) is the bare minimum to be able to do any consistent damage to enemy vehicles.
The VIDAR can generally consider two types of enemies as its most noteworthy adversaries; vehicles with stabilized guns, which can fire on the move, and vehicles equipped with autocannons. While the VIDAR is constructed mainly out of 35 mm hardened steel plates as opposed to the thin aluminium of its older artillery brethren such as the M109s, it still requires smart planning and quick moving to remain intact. Any enemy main gun will make short work of the VIDAR, and the thin plating can only really resist HMG and certain autocannon rounds.
Talking about stabilizers first, the VIDAR finds itself at a Battle Rating where stabilizers start being more common. Cold War icons like the Leopard 1 and M60 don't come equipped with them, but vehicles such as the T-55A, M60A1 (AOS), M3 Bradley and others like it are a dime a dozen. These vehicles can, as the name implies, fire on the move, as their guns are stabilized in one or more axes, while your slow horizontal slew rate and lack of one means against these vehicles you are unlikely to fire the first shot against them while on the move yourself. It may be beneficial to find longer ranged sightlines or flanking the enemy in uptiers using your high mobility, as you may outflank and destroy enemy vehicles without them noticing your presence rather than accidentally meeting one of these vehicles head-on and suffering the consequences of an unstabilized gun.
Against autocannons, the VIDAR unfortunately doesn't fare much better either, with superficial armor when it comes to protecting against direct enemy fire. This as a result means that if you take fire from the enemy you will at best be crippled and at worst suffer a catastrophic detonation should one of the penetrating shells hit the ammo. The benefit of autocannons is that, even if unstabilized, they can usually be "sprayed" at a target and have generally somewhat accurate results. Vehicles with a high slew rate on their turrets such as the AMX-30 DCA and Marder IFVs can also fire on the move quasi-stabilized as well, so if you hear autocannon fire near you stay vigilant. One of the benefits of fighting vehicles with such armament is that they too are generally lightly armored, so as a result should you ambush them or get a direct hit on them first chances are you will win the engagement with minimal damage taken. Vehicles to generally be wary of around this BR would be stabilized autocannon vehicles such as the Gepard, M3 Bradley, BMP-2 and many others.
Using the very good acceleration and overall high mobility of the VIDAR will help you relocate from long-range firing position to firing position easily. The excellent sights will provide the opportunity to spot and engage enemies from afar, especially with the help of thermals, and the near-instant-use laser rangefinder means your gun will automatically elevate or depress to the correct distance setting within your aiming parameters, significantly easing your main downside of having to hit near the turret or hull roof specifically to cause proper overpressure damage. It is to be noted however that while the VIDAR itself is mobile, the turret traverse in the horizontal can be lacking. It is recommended to always point your turret towards potential enemies while on the move, should you encounter someone on the way to another area of the map. It is also noteworthy to keep the tank's limited gun depression in mind, as this may prove a hindrance on slopes or terrain with frequent vertical elevation changes. Try and find gentle slopes or flat ground if possible, as the VIDAR's large size and poor gun depression limit its effectiveness around hilly terrain.
The option of HE-VT means the VIDAR can successfully engage aircraft. Using the laser rangefinder, one can target both hovering and moving helicopters at range. However, it is somewhat inadvisable to aim at aircraft with the shells available unless they are flying directly at you - mostly due to M107 (PF)'s middling shell velocity of only 580 m/s, almost half that of your nominal HE shell (OE F3 155 mm) which flies at 935 m/s - meaning that hitting enemy aircraft unless highly experienced in other contemporaries which use the same shell will prove surprisingly difficult. It may help to just take a few shots, however, given that you are safe, as if your aim is true you can prove to the enemy that you are a force to be reckoned with and that there is no escape.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Great firepower
- High reload rate for the first 3 ready rack shells
- Agile and nimble chassis
- Thermal imager and laser rangefinder
- 35 mm average all-around armour
- Can't be overpressured from <120 mm HE
- Cannot be penetrated by HMGs
- Can't set off some APHE rounds
Cons:
- Weak survivability
- Only partial protection from autocannons
- Poor gun depression
- Relatively small first-stage ammo rack
- HE-VT has low velocity compared to contemporaries like the Bkan 1C or Type 99's HE-VT
- Lack of gun/sight stabilization
History
The Versatile InDirect ARtillery is an export version of the South Korean K9 Thunder Self Propelled Artillery System, in service with the Norwegian Army. Norway decided to acquire a total of 24 K9 Thunder systems as well as 6 K10 ammo resupply vehicles in 2017 to replace their aging American-made M109A3GNM. The K9 won out in the competition which consisted of the CAESAR wheeled artillery system, the K9, German PzH2000 and M109G, with the M109G and K9 being the final two contenders before the K9 was selected in December of 2017 as the winner.
The VIDAR is operated by the only artillery unit in the Norwegian Army, the Artilleribataljonen of the Brigade Nord. The vehicle was manufactured by the company Hanwha Land Systems, deliveries started in 2019 and finished between 2020 and 2021. All units were considered operational by the Norwegian Army by January 1st, 2022. In November of 2022, Norway inked an additional deal to import 4 more K9 SPHs and 8 more K10 ammo resupply vehicles, raising the total to 28 VIDARs and 14 K10s soon to be in service.
The K9 Thunder was developed by South Korea, based on experiences with the K55 license-produced M109 howitzer. The vehicle was developed to be fully compatible with NATO ammunition, and to have good mobility to perform counterbattery fire and change positions rapidly. The K9's first prototype was unveiled in 1996. The contract for its development was awarded to Samsung Aerospace Industries and just 3 years later in 1999 the ROK Army started to receive its first units of the vehicle. The first nation to acquire the production rights for the system was Turkey.
The K9 has seen combat action in the Yeonpyeong bombardment of 2010, an artillery exchange between South Korean and North Korean soldiers. In this incident, 6 K9 systems from the South Korean Marine Infantry opened fire against North Korean positions. During the incident, some criticism was leveled at the K9 due to its return rate of fire being 1 round every 90 seconds - however, this was due to the fact that the K9's ammunition reserves were empty from the military exercise just minutes prior, meaning soldiers were running to the ammunition depots to fetch shells to fire back. The Korean Army deemed the K9's protection during the incident to be adequate against North Korean field gun shrapnel, and increased production of the K9 by a hundred extra units by 2011. This led to the K9s positioned near the border also retaining internal ammunition at all times, in case of a similar incident in the future.
The K9 has received very good export deals. Competing in the international markets with very powerful systems like the American M109 and German Pzh2000, it has sold more than 1,700 units, including those for South Korea. Turkey has also fitted their own version of the system, the T-155 Firtina, with 300 units expected to be deployed.
In December of 2013, the program to improve the K9's performance was passed, which led to the K9A1. The K9A1 modification upgraded the FCS of the K0 up to K55A1 standard, added GPS navigation on top of the original INS system, the addition of an APU and a night vision periscope for the driver as well as a rear view camera. The software was also updated from a DOS based framework up to a Windows based digital FCS, to provide a graphics based fire control system for the crew to enhance performance.
Media
XK-9 (The predecessor to the K9/K9A1, produced in 1995 for testing) on display at the War Memorial of Korea
- Skins
- Videos
See also
Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:
- reference to the series of the vehicles;
- links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.
External links
| Sweden tank destroyers | |
|---|---|
| Strv m/41 derivatives | Spj fm/43-44 · Sav m/43 (1944) · Sav m/43 (1946) · Pvkv II · Pvkv III |
| Ikv 72/103 | Ikv 72 · Ikv 103 |
| Pvkv m/43 | Pvkv m/43 (1946) · Pvkv m/43 (1963) |
| ATGM | UDES 33 · Pbv 302 (BILL) · Pvrbv 551 |
| Other | SAV 20.12.48 · Bkan 1C |
| Norway | VIDAR |
| Sweden premium ground vehicles | |
|---|---|
| Light tanks | ▄T-26E · Strv m/39 · Pbil m/40 · Strv m/41 S-I · CV9035DK · CV 90105 |
| Medium tanks | Sherman III/IV · Strv 81 (RB 52) · Strv 103-0 · Leopard 1A5NO2 · Christian II |
| Heavy tanks | ▄KV-1 m1942 · Kungstiger |
| Tank destroyers | Ikv 73 · SAV 20.12.48 · VIDAR |
