The Hanwha WB Advanced System (HWBAS) Polish joint venture held the groundbreaking ceremony for its missile production plant in Poland.
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Press Release, Gorzów Wielkopolski, 04 November 2026: Hanwha WB Advanced System (HWBAS), the Polish joint venture of Hanwha Aerospace and WB Electronics, today held the groundbreaking ceremony for its production plant in Gorzów Wielkopolski. The facility is being developed to manufacture CGR080 guided missiles in Poland and to establish a sustainable local production capability. The groundbreaking marks a tangible step towards strengthening Poland’s industrial base, building on the partnership between Polish and Korean industry.
Held under the theme ‘Building Capability – Shaping The Future‘, the ceremony connected the plant’s development to a broader ambition – establishing the infrastructure, expertise and workforce needed to support a sustainable production in Poland. Following the establishment of a joint venture, the project has advanced to the preparatory stage of plant construction, with preliminary site works already under way. The groundbreaking formally marks a milestone in the facility’s development, with local production to follow.
Attendees at the ceremony included Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka, Secretary of State at the Polish Ministry of National Defence; Colonel Robert Frommholz, Deputy Head of the Polish Armament Agency; Jacek Wójcicki, Mayor of Gorzów Wielkopolski; Jung Jae-jun, Head of the Conventional Force Program Directorate at the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) of the Republic of Korea; Jun Youl Tae, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Poland; Billy Boo-hwan Lee, President and CEO of Hanwha Aerospace; Piotr Wojciechowski, President of WB Group; and Jin Cheol Jeon, CEO of HWBAS. The ceremony brought together approximately 250 representatives from the Polish and Korean governments and the defence industry.
Building the foundations for guided missile production in Poland: In 2025, Hanwha Aerospace and WB Electronics established HWBAS in Poland. In December that year, a consortium led by HWBAS entered into an agreement with Poland’s Armament Agency to supply CGR080 missiles to be manufactured in Poland. The plant represents a further step in this cooperation, moving beyond equipment supply towards building manufacturing capability within HWBAS and combining the partners’ industrial experience with expertise being developed locally.
The License Agreement between Hanwha Aerospace and HWBAS provides the licensing framework for CGR080 production in Poland. The transfer of technology and engineering is intended to support local manufacturing by embedding the necessary processes and expertise within Polish operations. Through the development of local infrastructure, the project aims to strengthen Poland’s industrial and defence manufacturing capability.
The investment will support the Polish Armed Forces by strengthening domestic capabilities for the production of CGR080 guided missiles for the HOMAR-K system, contributing to the development of Poland’s stockpile and enhancing long-term operational readiness. Developed in close cooperation with the Polish Ministry of National Defence and the Armament Agency, the project extends beyond manufacturing to encompass technology and know-how transfer, the development of local production expertise, and the establishment of maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) capabilities throughout the systems’ entire life cycle. By building manufacturing capacity in Poland and fostering a resilient, locally based supply chain, the investment will contribute to strengthening Poland’s defence-industrial base, supporting the sustainability of the HOMAR-K programme and developing the domestic capabilities required to maintain and support the systems over the long term.
“Today’s groundbreaking brings our industrial partnership into focus on the ground” said Jin Cheol Jeon, CEO of Hanwha WB Advanced System. “As a Polish company, our task is to build the capability to manufacture here in Poland. That means developing not only the plant, but also the production processes and the team able to translate technology into day-to-day manufacturing operations. Today’s ceremony marks an important milestone in that process. Our ambition is to establish a lasting industrial presence, with the infrastructure, expertise and practical capability needed to sustain production over the long term.”
“We are proud that, through the partnership between WB GROUP and Hanwha Aerospace, Gorzów Wielkopolski will become home to Poland’s first facility of this kind, dedicated to the production of advanced missile systems for the artillery units of the Polish Armed Forces. We would also like to express our particular appreciation to the local authorities, whose continued support and engagement have been instrumental in bringing this investment forward.” said Piotr Wojciechowski, president of WB GROUP.
“Our cooperation with Poland is progressing towards a broader industrial partnership” said Billy Boo-hwan Lee, CEO of Hanwha Aerospace. “Together with WB GROUP and HWBAS, we aim to combine licensed technology and production know-how with the expertise and manufacturing capability being developed in Poland. Our ambition is to build a sustainable production base that brings together local infrastructure, skilled teams and established industrial processes. We see this as a long-term partnership, with production in Poland providing a foundation for exploring potential opportunities in European markets over time.”
The project is already building links with vocational education in Gorzów Wielkopolski. A letter of intent with CEZiB provides a framework for internships, apprenticeships, workshops and cooperation on curriculum development. These activities are intended to develop local skills and prepare a talent pool for future manufacturing operations, connecting workforce development with the project’s broader industrial contribution to the Lubuskie region.
HWBAS aims to build more than a production facility – its ambition is to establish an enduring manufacturing capability in Poland, supported by local infrastructure and skilled teams. The immediate priority is to bring these elements together and prepare for local production. Over time, this capability could support further development and help establish a lasting industrial presence in Poland and other European markets.
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