Hanwha signs MOU with Romania for K9 howtizers

Hanwha Aerospace CEO Son Jae-il, left in the first row, and Florentina Micu, Romarm's director, at a signing ceremony of a memorandum of understanding in Romania on Feb. 6. [HANWHA AEROSPACE]

Hanwha Aerospace signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Romania’s state-run defense company to export its K9 self-propelled howitzer and infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), the Korean engine and arms manufacturer announced Tuesday.

The MOU with Romarm concerns the provision and maintenance of the K9 and Redback IFVs, although the size and duration of the preliminary agreement were not disclosed.

The announcement came as European nations — many of them being members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) ― are upping military budgets amid a prolonged war between Russia and Ukraine.

In a ceremony attended by executives of Hanwha Aerospace and Romarm and government officials, Romania’s Economy Minister Florin Marian Spataru welcomed the MOU, saying that the government will offer its full support to strengthen its footing in the defense industry.

Government officials from Romania visited Korea three times over the last five months to explore potential partnerships, touring a main production site of Hanwha Aerospace in Changwon.

If the MOU develops into a formal contract, it will mark the latest in a string of arms deals signed with European nations.
Hanwha Defense, whose defense unit is now merged with Hanwha Aerospace, sold 212 K9 howitzers costing a total of 3.2 trillion won ($2.5 billion) last year. A contract for a second batch of 460 howitzers is being negotiated, according to local media outlets.

Other NATO members like Norway, Finland and Estonia also bought the K9 howitzer from Hanwha.

"If the MOU progresses into future exports, the K9 self-propelled howitzer could build a reputation as a proven provider of weapons as it is deployed in 10 countries around the world,” said Son Jae-il, CEO of Hanwha Aerospace, in a statement.
"We will expand our footing further into different parts of Europe, alongside with Romania, expanding the business," he said.

BY PARK EUN-JEE [park.eunjee@joongang.co.kr]