Hanwha has signed a framework contract to supply 288 K239 Chunmoo MLRS (Multiple Rocket Launcher Systems) to Poland.
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Press Release, Seoul, October 2022: Hanwha Defense and Poland entered into a Framework Contract on October 19 for the delivery of 288 K239 Chunmoo Multiple Rocket Launcher Systems (MRLS).
The contract was signed by Son Jaeil, President and CEO of Hanwha Defense, and Polish Deputy Prime Minister M. Błaszczak in Warsaw. Among the attendees were Yoo Dong-joon, Deputy Minister of Defense for Force and Resource Management of the Ministry of National Defense; and Sung Il, Deputy Minister of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration.
“I would like to thank you for the very fruitful defence cooperation between Poland and South Korea,” Błaszczak, who also serves as defence minister, said during the signing ceremony. “The analysis of the war in Ukraine war underlines particular value of the artillery. Hence, we decided to strengthen Polish artillery, emphasising rocket artillery.”
The K239 Chunmoo is a self-propelled wheeled MRLS capable of firing various calibres of shells. The launcher vehicle carries two missile containers, each of which can contain up to six 239mm guided missiles with a range of approximately 80 kilometres or one ballistic missile with a range of approximately 290 kilometres.
Under the framework agreement, the first batch of 18 Chunmoo artillery systems and ammunition will be delivered to the Polish Armed Forces in 2023, complimenting the large buy of K9 Self Propelled Howitzers announced in July this year. The first batch of 24 K9 howitzers were rolled out on October 19 at Hanwha Defense’s factory in Changwon, about 300 kilometres southeast of Seoul.
The Polish version of Chunmoo MRLS, in particular, will be integrated with Polish subsystems such as JELCZ trucks manufactured by the Polish Armaments Group, and TOPAZ automated fire control systems built by WB Electronics. The sets will also be equipped with Polish means of communication and the battlefield management system. It is planned to award contracts to Polish industrial entities for the supply of command vehicles, technical support vehicles, ammunition, and technical evaluation vehicles.
“Based on close cooperation with PGZ, Hanwha is committed to maximising the benefits to the Polish industry,” said Lee Boo-hwan, Executive Vice President of Hanwha Defense’s Overseas Business Division, referring to efforts to jointly develop next-generation weapons systems and conduct joint marketing activities with Polish partners.
“Chunmoo is a key asset of South Korea’s self-reliant defence capability, and the advanced artillery system will be taking the roles of defending the Polish border, and the Polish Chunmoo MRLS will be supplied as fast as possible to contribute to the military build-up of Poland,” Son Jaeil, President and CEO of Hanwha Defense said. “Moreover, Hanwha will make utmost efforts to build a stronger and more reliable partnership with Poland by exploring areas where both sides can cooperate in addition to the defence sector.”
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