Hanwha Aerospace has signed an additional executive contract with the Polish Armaments Agency for supplying 72 more Chunmoo-type Multiple Rocket Launcher Systems (MRLS).

The framework contract and the first executive contract, both signed in 2022, had preceded.

Worth around 1.6 B USD, the contract provides for the supply of 72 Chunmoo MLRS systems, CTM-290, a long-range guided missile capable of being launched by Chunmoo and the transfer of technology on the launch modules of the MRLS.

The contract was signed on April 25th at Hanwha Aerospace’s production plant in Changwon, with the attendance of representatives from both Governments. Polish delegates included Pawel Bejda, Deputy Minister of Defence of Poland; Artur Kuptel, Chief of the Polish Armament Agency; and Marcin Kulasek, Deputy Minister of State Property of Poland. 

Among the Korean attendees were Minister Seok Jong-gun of the Defence Acquisition Program Administration; Deputy Minister Sung Il of the Office of Military Resources Management; and Park Jong-seung, Head of the Agency for Defence Development (ADD).

According to a relevant announcement, a day earlier, the Polish delegation visited ADD’s test site in Anheung, about 100 km southwest of Seoul, to watch the test-firing of the CTM-290 ballistic missile launched by the Polish Chunmoo MRLS, nicknamed HOMAR-K.

The CTM-290 was successfully launched, demonstrating its precision-guided striking capability. The missile has a maximum range of 290 km with a diameter of 600 mm. Under the HOMAR-K program, Polish defence companies are to oversee the integration and assembly of the long-range rocket launcher system mounted on the Polish Jelcz 8×8 chassis. 

The MRLS is equipped with a number of Polish components and subsystems, with extensive involvement from the Polish defence industry. The latest defence contract underlines the continuation of strong cooperation between the two parties in the defence sector. Hanwha Aerospace is operating Polish exclusive assembly line for the K9 Self Propelled Howitzer in the Changwon facility with a production capacity of nearly 200 vehicles per year.

Hanwha Aerospace is also committed to integrating Polish subsystems into the K9 to develop a K9PL version under executive contracts signed for the past years. In the future, a large portion of the K9PL will be manufactured in Poland, along with a joint development of a newer K9 variant for the Polish Armed Forces.

Also read: Hanwha | Delivery of 24 ‘K9PL’ howitzers to Poland