The Korean company Hanwha wants to establish an industrial hub for Europe in Romania

Based on these production capacities and competences, Hanwha Aerospace wants to start localization programs to support the modernization initiatives of the armed forces and the defense system, said the executive director of the company that manages the relationship with Romania, according to MAS.

“Hanwha Aerospace is committed to maximizing the benefits for the Romanian defense industry through various types of localization programs, which include local production of defense equipment, local employment, technology transfer and the establishment of a center of excellence for maintenance operations and repairs.

We focus on the integration of Romanian industrial capacity in the development of customized advanced defense equipment for the Romanian Armed Forces. The inclusion of Romanian industry in the broad global supply chains of Hanwha Aerospace is one of the potential benefits that Romania could obtain from this collaboration”, stated Peter Bae, Vice President of Hanwha Aerospace Europe.

The K9 TUNET self-propelled howitzer and the Redback infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) are optimal solutions to strengthen Romania’s security and defense needs, as well as to increase the country’s industrial capacity.

Approximately 1,800 K9 TUNET tracked self-propelled howitzers, 155 mm/52 caliber, were built and operated by nine countries, including five NATO members – Poland, Norway, Estonia, Finland and Turkey. The figure represents over 50% of the global market share of self-propelled howitzers on tracks.

Recently chosen by Australia, the Redback is one of the most modern infantry fighting vehicles, offering good armor protection, mobility and firepower. The vehicle uses a number of innovative technologies, including composite rubber tracks, a hard-kill active protection system and a transparent helmet-mounted display.

At the end of February, Hanwha Aerospace Co., the main developer of aerospace and defense systems in South Korea, announced that it was going to sign a 1,000 billion won ($751 million) contract to supply Romania with K9 Thunder howitzers, in what would be his first export agreement to our country and the sixth in Europe.

The company said at the time that it would announce an arms export agreement with Romania in the first quarter of this year. It is about 54 tracked self-propelled howitzers K9, for equipping the first three Romanian battalions with 155 mm NATO caliber artillery pieces.

The Romanian press presented, based on sources, that the company from South Korea was the only one that met the requirements of the Ministry of National Defense, in an auction in which companies from Germany and Turkey also participated.

South Korea also exports the Redback infantry fighting vehicle. MApN wants to purchase 298 infantry fighting vehicles, MLI, for the Land Forces, worth almost 3 billion euros. In stage I, 246 vehicles will be purchased, the purchase should start in 2023 and will take place over 9 years, being estimated at 2.5 billion euros, according to the Ministry of National Defense.