Hanwha racks up another $4 billion in rocket launcher sales to Poland, despite EU's preference for local makers

Hanwha Aerospace has signed a 5.6 trillion won ($4 billion) contract with Poland to supply additional Chunmoo multiple rocket launchers and guided missiles, the company said on Tuesday.

Key officials from the Korean and Polish governments and Hanwha Aerospace, including Son Jae-il, CEO and President of Hanwha Aerospace, far left, and Presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik, fourth from left, pose for a commemorative photo during the signing ceremony for the third executive contract for Hanhwa's Chunmoo guided missile. [HANWHA AEROSPACE]

Hanwha Aerospace has signed a 5.6 trillion won ($4 billion) contract with Poland to supply additional Chunmoo multiple rocket launchers and guided missiles, the company said on Tuesday.

The deal, inked Monday with the Polish Armament Agency, calls for the production and delivery of Chunmoo guided missiles. It follows a 2024 agreement with WB Group, Poland’s largest private defense company, to establish a production base in Poland under the joint venture Hanwha-WB Advanced System.

This is the third Chunmoo-related contract between Hanwha Aerospace and Poland, bringing the total value of deals for the Chunmoo weapon system to over 12.6 trillion won.

Chunmoo is a vehicle-mounted multiple rocket launcher system capable of firing 12 rockets in under one minute. With a maximum range of 80 kilometers (50 miles), it combines high mobility and precision strike capabilities. The system is considered a core asset in Korea’s domestically developed artillery lineup.

Hanwha Aerospace said this latest contract reflects its strategy to remain competitive despite the European Union’s preference for locally manufactured weapons.

A Chunmoo multiple rocket launcher fires rockets. [MINISTRY OF NATIONAL DEFENSE]

The agreement also received diplomatic support from the Korean government. Kang Hoon-sik, presidential chief of staff, visited Poland as a special envoy for strategic economic cooperation and attended the signing ceremony. He also met with senior Polish defense officials to discuss expanding bilateral defense ties.

“This contract is a milestone based on the trust between Hanwha and Poland,” Son Jae-il, CEO and president of Hanwha Aerospace, said. “Hanwha will continue to cooperate with the Polish defense industry to provide security and economic value to Poland.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY KO SEUNG-PYO [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]