The South Koreans from Hanwha Aerospace have launched Hanwha Aerospace Romania, an entity set up to support the security of Romania and NATO, the company informs in a press release sent to AGERPRES on Wednesday.

The local subsidiary of Hanwha Aerospace aims to create local jobs and generate other economic effects, and is committed to maximizing industrial cooperation with the Romanian defence sector through local production and maintenance and repair operations (MRO) services.

According to the cited source, the new entity is set to supply the Romanian Armed Forces with the world's most advanced infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) - the Redback - following contracts for the K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzer and the K10 Ammunition Resupply Vehicle.

"With the opening of the Hanwha Aerospace Romania subsidiary, we are committed to providing the Romanian Army with state-of-the-art defence capabilities. We will also strengthen partnerships with local industry and defence companies by implementing valuable localization programmes, such as local manufacturing, technology transfer and MRO services," said Peter Bae, head of Hanwha Aerospace Romania, who was present at the Land Warfare Europe conference in Bucharest.

Plans to build a state-of-the-art facility in Romania include production, research, testing, training and MRO services.

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

"Hanwha Aerospace Romania is proposing the Redback Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) for Romania's IFV modernization program. Redback has been selected for the Australian Land 400 Phase 3 program for the next generation infantry fighting vehicles. The tracked infantry fighting vehicle features best-in-class armored protection, mobility and lethality based on a number of innovative technologies such as composite rubber tracks, an active protection system and a helmet-mounted transparent armored shield. Due to the high compatibility between the K9 and Redback in terms of chassis and powertrain, the operation of both systems could lead to significant cost savings and production efficiencies for the industry, as well as operational benefits for the military," the press release said.

Hanwha Aerospace Romania, a subsidiary of the South Korean company Hanwha Aerospace, is dedicated to supporting Romania's defence modernization initiatives. The company focuses on strengthening local partnerships and emphasizes technology transfer, in-house production and extensive maintenance and repair operations (MRO) services to strengthen national and regional security capabilities.

In July 2024, Hanwha Aerospace was awarded a major contract by Romania's Ministry of National Defence to supply 54 K9 self-propelled howitzers and 36 K10 ammunition resupply vehicles. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2027, and to support this partnership, Hanwha Aerospace is investing in production and maintenance facilities in Romania.

To expand collaboration in the Romanian defence sector, Hanwha Aerospace has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Romarm, Romania's national defence company, and INCAS, a local aviation research center. AGERPRES (RO - author: Daniel Badea, editor: Andreea Marinescu; EN - editor: Simona Iacob)