Hanwha Aerospace Romania today broke ground on its new K9 armoured vehicle production facility in Petrești, Dâmbovița County.
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Press Release, Dâmbovița County, Romania, 11 February 2026: Hanwha Aerospace Romania today broke ground on its new armoured vehicle production facility in Petrești, Dâmbovița County, marking a significant milestone in the company’s long-term commitment to the country and to strengthening Europe’s defence industrial capabilities.
Named the Hanwha Armoured Vehicle Centre of Excellence (H-ACE) Europe, the facility will serve as Hanwha Aerospace’s first production site in Europe, anchoring the company’s long-term partnership with Romania and supporting Romania’s efforts to expand domestic defence manufacturing and contribute more actively to Europe’s defence industrial ecosystem, while advancing broader NATO and European security objectives.
Among the distinguished Romanian attendees were H.E. Mr. Marius-Gabriel Lazurca, Presidential Advisor for National Security and Foreign Policy; Barna Tanczos, Vice Prime Minister; H.E. Mr. Ambrozie-Irineu Darău, Minister of Economy; and H.E. Mr. Corneliu Ştefan, President of the Dâmbovița County Council; Mr. Yong-chul Lee, Minister of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).
Mr. Jae-il Son, President and CEO of Hanwha Aerospace, said: “Today’s groundbreaking represents more than the construction of a production facility. It is the foundation for Hanwha Aerospace Romania’s evolution into a truly Romanian defence company, and a strategic platform for long-term defence cooperation between our two countries.”
He added:“This will be Hanwha Aerospace’s first production facility in Europe and will grow into a core production site for European land systems. Beyond manufacturing, we are committed to technology transfer and close local cooperation, with the goal of integrating Romania as a key pillar of the global defence supply chain.”
A Strategic Industrial Footprint for Romania and Europe: Located in Petrești, Dâmbovița County, the facility will span approximately 181,055 square metres and feature advanced assembly lines, performance and validation testing facilities, a 1,751-metre driving test track, and dedicated R&D laboratories to support the full lifecycle of land systems development, production and sustainment.
H-ACE Europe will initially support the local production of the K9 Self-Propelled Howitzer and K10 Ammunition Resupply Vehicle, providing assembly, integration, testing, and lifecycle support capabilities, with the aim of achieving a high level of localisation — targeting up to 80 percent localisation through Romanian industry participation.
Under Hanwha Aerospace’s long-term vision, the site has the potential to to broaden over time to support additional advanced land systems such as infantry fighting vehicles, long-range precision strike systems, and multi-purpose unmanned ground vehicles — contributing to local job creation, strengthening Romania’s industrial base, and enhancing national and allied defence capabilities. Hanwha Aerospace Romania estimates that a potential expansion of the facility in connection with the IFV programme could create up to 2,000 direct and indirect jobs, delivering substantial economic benefits for Romania.
Beyond production, Hanwha Aerospace Romania is committed to working closely with Romanian industry partners to integrate them into its global supply chain, supporting skills development, technology transfer, and long-term employment. The company is currently cooperating with more than 30 Romanian partners, forming the foundation for expanded industrial collaboration under its long-term localisation strategy.
Son said: “Hanwha Aerospace is committed to working alongside Romania so that it can grow not only as a buyer, but as a producer, seller, and exporter within the global defence market. ‘Made in Romania’ will be at the heart of our approach.”
Hanwha Aerospace signed a contract with Romania in July 2024 for the supply of 54 K9 SPHs and 36 K10 ARVs. Romania became the tenth member of the K9 User Club, operating the 155mm/52-calibre K9 SPH. Among NATO member states, Romania is the sixth country to operate the K9 system.
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