South Korean company Hanwha Aerospace has established a local subsidiary, Hanwha Aerospace Romania.

The company will develop a strategic partnership with Romania and provide local production and MRO (maintenance and repair operations) services, it said.

“Hanwha Aerospace Romania was established as part of a commitment to strengthen industrial partnerships, support the modernization of the Romanian military and contribute to strengthening the security of NATO’s eastern flank. Hanwha Aerospace Romania aims to create local jobs and generate other economic effects, being committed to maximizing industrial cooperation with the Romanian defense sector through local production and maintenance and repair operations (MRO) services. Hanwha Aerospace Romania is ready to provide the Romanian Armed Forces with the world’s most advanced infantry fighting vehicle, Redback, following the contracts for the K9 self-propelled howitzer and the K10 ammunition replenishment vehicle,” the company said.

This July, Hanwha Aerospace signed a contract with Romania’s Ministry of Defense for the delivery of 54 K9 self-propelled howitzers and 36 K10 ammunition resupply vehicles. Under the agreement, Hanwha will deliver the vehicles in stages over the next five years, with the first delivery due in early 2027.

Most of the vehicles will be manufactured in Romania with extensive involvement of local suppliers. The company will provide various localization programs, including local production of defense equipment, technology transfer, and local facilities for maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO), the company said at the time.

“By opening the Hanwha Aerospace Romania subsidiary, we are committed to providing the Romanian Army with state-of-the-art defense capabilities. We will also strengthen partnerships with local industry and defense companies by implementing valuable localization programs, such as local production, technology transfer, and MRO services,” said Peter Bae, director of Hanwha Aerospace Romania, at the Land Warfare Europe conference in Bucharest.

He also presented plans to build a facility in Romania, which will include production, research, testing, training and MRO services.

Hanwha Aerospace Romania also aims to integrate Romanian companies into Hanwha’s global supply chain, contributing to the delivery of critical defense systems, such as the K9 self-propelled howitzer, used by ten countries, six of which are NATO members.

To expand its defense collaboration in Romania, Hanwha Aerospace signed a memorandum of understanding with Romarm, Romania’s national defense company, and INCAS, a local aviation research center. The partnership aims to improve supply and maintenance capabilities for advanced weapon systems, including the K9 howitzer and the Redback infantry fighting vehicle.

(Photo: Hanwha Aerospace on Facebook)

simona@romania-insider.com