South Korea's leading defense companies are exhibiting at MSPO 2026, one of Europe's three largest defense shows, held September 8-11 in Kielce, Poland. Hanwha Aerospace and Hanwha Systems share a 274-square-meter booth under the slogan "Proven Partnership, Strategic Capabilities, Sovereign Defence," showing a multi-layered air defense lineup (L-SAM, H-SHORAD, H-Shield counter-drone, 40mm unmanned air defense), laser weapons including the Cheonkwang anti-aircraft laser and 50kW and 20kW mobile laser vehicles, the K9A2 howitzer, K-NIFV, unmanned ground systems, and the Striker-S unmanned surface vessel with a Chunmoo launcher; Hanwha Systems will demonstrate an AI satellite-imagery analysis solution on September 9. LIG Defense & Aerospace is presenting Cheongung-II, L-SAM, and the KGGB guided glide bomb, targeting Poland's multi-layered air defense and precision-munitions programs. SNT Dynamics and SNT Motiv are showing a 120mm vehicle-mounted mortar, a three-barrel 20mm remote weapon station, a 1,500-1,700 hp tank powerpack, and small arms including the K2C, K16, and K4, pitching integrated MRO and product-support packages. Hyundai Rotem is attending for the fifth consecutive year and KAI is also present, with the Korean delegation expected to review K2, K9, and FA-50 contract execution and expanded post-sale support with Polish counterparts.
Korea's four largest defense companies — Hanwha Aerospace, Hyundai Rotem, KAI, and LIG Nex1 — are projected to post combined 2026 sales of about 49.76 trillion won (~$36 billion), with combined order backlogs of up to 98.46 trillion won, Seoul Economic Daily reported on September 2, 2026. New orders from core Western markets, notably the US Army K9MH prototype award and the Spain K9 contract, arrived in the second half after a slow first seven months, and further K2 and K9 orders are expected around the MSPO exhibition in Poland in September. The figures underline how quickly the sector has scaled: the Big Four's combined sales are approaching 50 trillion won only four years after the 2022 Poland mega-deals reset expectations for K-defense.
Brent Ingraham, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology, led a delegation to Hanwha Aerospace's defense production complex in Changwon on August 26, 2026, Korea Times and Korea Herald reported on September 2. The group toured the K9 self-propelled howitzer line where K9MH wheeled systems are now in production, observed robotic welding and other automated manufacturing, and watched live demonstrations of the K9MH, K9A1, and Chunmoo rocket launcher. The visit came eight days after Hanwha Defense USA won a $100 million US Army contract (up to $263 million with options) to deliver six K9MH prototypes for the Mobile Tactical Cannon program, with US production planned at a new facility in Alabama. Ingraham oversees more than 550 Army procurement programs worth about $170 billion, making the visit a strong signal of US interest in Korean artillery capacity.
Hanwha Aerospace opened the fifth K9 User Club in Tartu, Estonia on September 2, 2026, drawing about 200 military and industry representatives from seven K9 operator nations (Korea, Estonia, Poland, Norway, Finland, Romania, and Australia) plus observers from Spain and Sweden, the largest turnout to date. Hanwha presented a next-generation operating concept in which VTOL fire-guidance drones detect and track targets, generate firing coordinates for the K9, and then assess impact and battle damage, shortening the sensor-to-shooter loop and reducing reliance on exposed forward observers. The company also showed a digital logistics system cataloguing 700-800 key parts with demand forecasting, to be linked to a Polish spares warehouse. At a Chunmoo user workshop on the sidelines, Hanwha announced the first official Chunmoo User Club will be held in Korea in 2027, and Australia will host the next K9 User Club the same year. Hanwha said it will focus new K9 sales on Western European armies modernizing aging artillery, following the Spain contract that took the K9 operator base to 11 countries.
|Seoul Economic Daily / Defence Blog / Joint Forces News
The Korea Fair Trade Commission approved Hanwha Group's combined 15.89% stake in Korea Aerospace Industries on August 31, 2026, concluding that Hanwha cannot currently exercise sole control over KAI. The holding comprises 9.90% at Hanwha Aerospace, 4.98% at Hanwha Systems, and 1.01% at Hanwha Aerospace USA; the Export-Import Bank of Korea remains the largest shareholder at 26.41%. The regulator said a fresh business-combination review will be required if Hanwha becomes the largest shareholder, secures the CEO position, or takes more than one-third of board seats. The decision removes the immediate antitrust obstacle to Hanwha's vertical alignment with KAI, which it supplies with engines, radar, avionics, and weapons, while KAI's union continues to oppose any management participation.
Hanwha Aerospace signed the K9 self-propelled howitzer export execution contract with Spain's Indra Sistemas on August 31, 2026, converting the March 2026 binding agreement into a firm order and making Spain the 11th K9 operator nation and Hanwha's first artillery customer in Western Europe. The contract value is undisclosed; Korean reporting estimates the initial tranche at a minimum of about 667.5 billion won (~$480 million), with Hanwha receiving a 20% down payment at signing and a further 5% by year-end. Unit counts and the delivery schedule are confidential. The program follows Spain's deep-localization model, with hulls and much of the production led by Indra in Spain, a structure widely expected to shape follow-on negotiations with Poland and Romania.
The US Army awarded Hanwha Defense USA a contract on August 18, 2026 to deliver six K9MH 8x8 wheeled 155mm howitzer prototypes under the Mobile Tactical Cannon program, aimed at eventually replacing the M777 towed howitzer. The award has a $100.3 million base value and a $262.9 million ceiling including an option for 12 more vehicles, with about four years of operational evaluation to follow. It is the first major direct US Army contract for Hanwha Defense USA and positions Hanwha for the Army's broader artillery modernization. Prototypes will be assembled at Hanwha's Opelika, Alabama facility, and US Army acquisition leadership toured Hanwha Aerospace's Changwon production lines on August 26 to review artillery and rocket manufacturing capacity.
Korean defense export orders totaled roughly $8 billion through the end of July 2026 — about half the pace of the prior year, against full-year totals of $13.5 billion in 2023, $9.6 billion in 2024, and $15.4 billion in 2025. Backlogs at three of the Big Four (Hyundai Rotem, KAI, LIG D&A) have started to contract, with only Hanwha Aerospace still growing. Analysts tie the slowdown to buyer-nation "domestic-first" procurement policies, deeper localization and technology-transfer demands, and slipping timelines on Middle East mega-packages. A parallel critique published the same week argues Korea still lacks an export control tower with real authority: the Defense Industry Development Act names the DAPA commissioner as export-support coordinator, but the role requires Ministry of National Defense sign-off and can only "request" action from other agencies, leaving decision rights scattered. DAPA's export-support budget rose 53.8% to 391.1 billion won this year, yet only 2.5 billion won (0.6%) went to workforce development, and just 135 of 17,027 military alternative-service placements went to the defense industry.
Hanwha Group disclosed on August 10 that its combined holding in Korea Aerospace Industries has reached 15.89% — Hanwha Aerospace 9.90%, Hanwha Systems 4.98%, and Hanwha Aerospace USA 1.01% — and filed for a business-combination review with the Fair Trade Commission. The move follows Hanwha Systems' announcement in July that it would spend 500 billion won ($362 million) buying KAI shares on the open market, which added roughly 3.45%. Hanwha remains the second-largest shareholder behind the Export-Import Bank of Korea at 26.41%. The antitrust question is vertical: Hanwha supplies aircraft engines, radar, avionics, and weapons, while KAI performs final assembly of fighters and helicopters. KAI's labor union has urged the FTC to block the combination, warning of an "all-out fight" if management participation is approved. Analysts frame the stake build-up as a cornerstone of Hanwha's 55 trillion won "AI Space Powerhouse" investment plan through 2040 and as positioning ahead of any future KAI privatization.
Spain's roughly €7.2 billion ($8.2 billion) artillery modernization — in which Hanwha Aerospace's K9 Thunder is competing — comes with demands for a deeper form of local production than Korea has granted before: manufacturing led by a Spanish prime contractor rather than Hanwha, transfer of intellectual property and design authority, and rights to export to third countries. Industry watchers say how Korea structures the Spanish deal could become a template for subsequent European negotiations, including follow-on contracts with Poland and Romania, as buyer nations increasingly demand technology sovereignty rather than off-the-shelf purchases. The pressure reflects a broader shift in K-defense exports from platform sales toward localization, joint production, and technology partnership.
Hanwha Aerospace reported record second-quarter results on July 31, with consolidated operating profit of 1.37 trillion won (~$951 million) — the first time its quarterly operating profit surpassed 1 trillion won — on sales of 9.29 trillion won, up 47% year-on-year. The land systems division earned 533 billion won in operating profit on steady K9 and Chunmoo deliveries at home and abroad, while Hanwha Ocean posted its strongest quarter since joining the group (5.44 trillion won in sales, 736.1 billion won operating profit, up 98%) and Hanwha Systems chipped in a record 103.7 billion won. Shares rallied on the results, which cement Hanwha Aerospace's position as the earnings engine of Korea's defense export boom.
Hanwha Aerospace and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) formalized a comprehensive partnership to advance Korea's defense and aerospace businesses across four pillars: joint development and export promotion of unmanned aircraft, development and joint marketing of aircraft integrating domestically produced engines and radars, joint entry into the global commercial space market, and cultivation of the defense/aerospace industrial ecosystem and regional supply chains. The two companies pledged to jointly discover and nurture SMEs and startups in the Gyeongnam cluster (Changwon, Geoje, Sacheon), providing annual technology support worth 300 billion won through joint R&D organizations. Industry watchers framed the tie-up — backed by Hanwha's roughly 2.5 trillion won investment in KAI shares — as assembling an air-land-sea integrated defense powerhouse aimed at the global export market, with a KF-21 export package seen as an early priority.
At the NATO Defence Industry Forum in Ankara on July 8, Hanwha Aerospace promoted a “Built with Europe, for Europe” strategy to fuel the continent's rearmament, emphasizing local manufacturing, European suppliers, technology transfer, sustainment capacity, and long-term industrial investment rather than deliveries shipped solely from South Korea. The pitch positions Hanwha as a co-production partner for NATO members expanding artillery, air defense, and munitions capacity, complementing the Korea–NATO procurement pact talks opened at the summit and Hanwha's existing European footprint in Poland, Romania, and Estonia.
Labor authorities and police are considering whether to book Hanwha Group Vice Chairman Kim Dong-kwan under the Serious Accidents Punishment Act over the June 1 explosion at Hanwha Aerospace's Daejeon plant that killed five workers. So far, CEO Son Jae-il and two plant executives have been booked. The Daejeon Metropolitan Police and Regional Employment and Labor Office have not ruled out naming Kim — who heads Hanwha Aerospace's strategy division — as a suspect if seized documents and witness accounts establish his connection. Investigators have conducted three forensic examinations, analyzed over 5,700 documents and files, and questioned 32 people. The investigation was described as a 'cleaning machine' incident involving explosive residue from rocket propellant manufacturing tools.
Hanwha Aerospace shipped the first batch of K9PL 155mm tracked self-propelled howitzers from its Changwon plant to Poland on July 3, 2026, opening the execution phase of the second executive contract signed on December 1, 2023. That contract covers 152 vehicles — six K9A1 howitzers already delivered in November 2025 plus 146 K9PL units scheduled through 2027 — and follows the 212 units completed under the first executive contract, bringing the two-contract total to 364 K9s. The K9PL marks the shift from off-the-shelf capability restoration to a nationally customized platform: it integrates Poland's Topaz automated fire control system, the Fonet communications network, and Obra-3 laser warning sensors with smoke grenade launchers, adds protective plating over the running gear and a 12.7mm WKM-B heavy machine gun, and carries a Polish camouflage scheme, while retaining the standard 155mm/52-caliber gun with roughly 40km range.
The Defense Acquisition Program Administration completed price bidding on June 24 and will select the winner of Korea's first multipurpose unmanned ground vehicle program on July 24. Hanwha Aerospace's Arion-SMET and Hyundai Rotem's HR-Sherpa — both battery-powered 6×6 platforms with 100+ km range — are competing for the ~50 billion won initial contract. The program marks a milestone in Seoul's push to replace labor-intensive forces with AI, robotics, and autonomous systems.
Korean defense firms are entering a new stage beyond exporting finished products to local mass production and technology cooperation. Hanwha Aerospace now has K9 production in Australia, Egypt, Romania, and a new UAE teaming deal. Hyundai Rotem plans K2PL production in Poland (61 tanks, 2029–2031) with tech transfer to Bumar. The shift responds to growing buyer demands for local industrialization and technological sovereignty. DB Investment & Securities forecasts total defense exports could reach $37.7 billion in 2026.
Turkey's new Altai main battle tank has entered mass production using a Korean-made power pack after Ankara failed to develop its own engine system. The 1,500-hp power pack — originally developed by Doosan Infracore (now HD Hyundai Infracore) and integrated by Hanwha Aerospace — powers the 65-ton Altai, marking another win for Korean defense propulsion technology. Turkey had pursued indigenous engine development for years but ultimately selected the proven Korean system to avoid further delays to the program.
Hanwha Aerospace received a long-term issuer credit rating of A- with a stable outlook from S&P Global Ratings, becoming the first Korean defense company to earn a global investment-grade credit rating. S&P cited the expansion of weapon system exports to Europe and the Middle East, rapid supply capabilities, NATO compatibility, and a record-high order backlog of 37 trillion won as of end-2025. The rating places Hanwha alongside major global defense primes and is expected to facilitate direct fundraising in overseas debt markets.
Hanwha Aerospace signed a teaming agreement with UAE-based Generation 5 Holding at Eurosatory 2026 (Paris, June 15–19) to collaborate on local manufacture and sale of the K9 155mm self-propelled howitzer for the Middle East market. The deal adds a UAE production base to Hanwha's growing global K9 network alongside Australia (operational since Aug 2024), Egypt (production from H2 2025), and Romania (groundbreaking Q1 2026). IL Sung, Hanwha Aerospace's Head of Middle East & Africa, said producing the K9 locally bolsters partners' defense autonomy and completes a MENA-wide production and supply network.
An explosion at Hanwha Aerospace's Daejeon facility on June 1 killed five workers and injured two during a cleaning operation involving solid rocket propellant residue. The Daejeon plant — a national high-security defense facility responsible for Chunmoo MLRS, L-SAM, and precision-guided munitions — was partially shut down under a suspension order. CEO Sohn Jae-il was booked under the Serious Accidents Punishment Act, and authorities are considering booking Hanwha Group Vice Chairman Kim Dong-kwan. The incident raises questions about safety practices at Korea's largest defense manufacturer.
Hanwha Aerospace is in active talks with Germany, the UK and other European nations for new weapons deals, capitalizing on surging global arms spending. Global CSO Alex Wong disclosed at the Shangri-La Dialogue that Hanwha has established a German subsidiary in Berlin and is reviewing plans to build a Chunmoo manufacturing facility in eastern Germany. The company is pursuing European partnerships beyond existing customers Poland and Romania, covering procurement, local production, and workforce development.
Combined operating profits for Korea's four major defense contractors — Hanwha Aerospace, Hyundai Rotem, KAI, and LIG Nex1 — are projected to reach ₩7.5 trillion ($5.5B) in 2026, up from ₩5.2 trillion in 2025. Combined revenue is forecast to hit ₩50.6 trillion ($37.4B), adding more than ₩10 trillion in a single year. Hanwha Aerospace posted record earnings driven by strong ground weapon sales, while Hyundai Rotem's revenue is expected to surge 30% on K2 export momentum.
Finland signed a government-to-government contract with South Korea for 112 surplus K9 self-propelled howitzers valued at €546.8 million (~$635M). The deal brings Finland's total K9 fleet to 208, making it the second-largest K9 operator in Europe after Poland. The howitzers will undergo national modifications before entering service with the Finnish Defence Forces.
Hanwha Aerospace has halted its review of acquiring Poongsan Corporation's ammunition business, valued at approximately 1.5 trillion won ($1B). The bid faced regulatory hurdles including defense industry and antitrust reviews, as well as shareholder approval requiring a two-thirds majority. The withdrawal ends months of acquisition talks that began in early March 2026.
Korea Trade Insurance Corporation (K-Sure) signed a EUR 900 million (~KRW 1.5 trillion) pre-emptive financing agreement with Romania's Ministry of Finance, the first such arrangement in the defense sector. The facility supports Romanian procurement of Korean defense systems from Hanwha Aerospace, Hyundai Rotem, and KAI.
Romania's first K9 Thunder howitzer (designated K9 Tunetul) exited the production line in South Korea on March 30, 2026, ahead of delivery. The initial batch of 18 units is manufactured in South Korea, with local Romanian assembly beginning in 2027.
Indra Group and Hanwha Aerospace signed a binding EUR 4.55 billion (~$5.3B) agreement for joint development of K9-based self-propelled artillery. The deal covers 280 tracked vehicles including 128 artillery and 120 ammunition resupply vehicles, to be manufactured in Spain.
South Korea's major defense firms reported record combined operating profits exceeding 3 trillion won in their latest results, driven by the ongoing export boom. The Big Four defense firms (Hanwha Aerospace, Hyundai Rotem, KAI, LIG Nex1) are on track for combined revenue of 50 trillion won ($37.4B) in 2026.
Egypt launched co-production of the K9A1 Thunder 155mm self-propelled howitzer at Military Factory 200 near Cairo. The initial batch was produced in South Korea, with subsequent production transitioning to Egyptian facilities under a technology transfer arrangement with Hanwha Aerospace.
Hanwha Aerospace announced a EUR 100 million ($115.5M) investment in Estonia to establish a sustainment center, ammunition factory, and Chunmoo support infrastructure. The investment deepens Hanwha's footprint on NATO's northeastern flank following the October 2025 Estonian Chunmoo contract.
Hanwha Aerospace emerged as the leading bidder for Poongsan Corporation's ammunition business unit, valued at approximately $1 billion. If completed, the acquisition would create a vertically integrated Korean defense champion capable of bundling platforms (K9, K239) with ammunition in export packages, reshaping the global defense market.
Hanwha Aerospace signed an undisclosed defense contract with the Saudi Ministry of Defense during the World Defense Show 2026, one of 28 contracts signed at the event. The deal was signed by the Assistant Minister of Defense for Executive Affairs, aligning with Saudi Vision 2030 defense localization goals.
Hanwha Aerospace announced the first export sale of its Tigon 6x6 armored personnel carrier during the World Defense Show 2026, marking the platform's entry into the international market. The buyer was not disclosed but is believed to be a Middle Eastern customer.
Hanwha Aerospace and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) signed a joint development MOU for air-launched weapons at the WDS 2026, targeting long-range air-to-air missiles and supersonic air-to-surface missiles for the KF-21 Boramae and FA-50 platforms.
Norway selected Hanwha's K239 Chunmoo over the US HIMARS system in a NOK 19 billion (~$2 billion) deal for 16 launchers and missiles with range up to 500 km. The selection over a US system is a major validation of Korean MLRS technology.
Hanwha Aerospace signed its third contract with Norway for 24 additional K9 VIDAR self-propelled howitzers, expanding the Norwegian Army's fleet to 52 units. Deliveries are expected by 2027. Norway has become one of Hanwha's deepest European partners, now operating both K9 and K239 Chunmoo systems.
Hanwha Aerospace signed a KRW 5.6 trillion (~$4.1 billion) third execution contract with Poland for Chunmoo guided missiles (CGR-080). Poland has now ordered 288 Chunmoo launchers designated Homar-K, with missile production technology transferred to Poland.
Poland's 16th Mechanized Division received the final 12 K9 howitzers, completing all 212 units under the first executive contract signed in August 2022 — ahead of the original 2026 deadline. Poland has shifted focus to the second executive contract for 152 additional K9s, and domestic K9PL production begins in 2026.
Norway has selected the K239 Chunmoo as its new multiple launch rocket system, becoming the third European customer after Poland and Romania. The deal builds on Norway's existing use of K9 VIDAR howitzers.
Saudi Arabia has signed a multi-billion dollar contract with Hanwha Aerospace for K9A2 self-propelled howitzers, marking the largest Middle Eastern K9 order to date and expanding Hanwha's Gulf presence.
Hanwha Aerospace reported record annual revenue exceeding $10 billion with an order backlog of over $25 billion, driven by strong demand for the K9 howitzer, K239 Chunmoo MLRS, and Redback IFV across multiple continents.
Romania has signed a contract for the K239 Chunmoo multiple launch rocket system, becoming the second European customer after Poland. The deal includes launchers and CTM-290 guided missiles.
Australia has selected the Hanwha AS21 Redback infantry fighting vehicle for its Land 400 Phase 3 program, beating the Rheinmetall Lynx KF41. The AUD 7.4 billion contract covers 129 vehicles to be manufactured in Geelong, Victoria.