Norway has finally signed a contract with South Korea's Hanwha Aerospace for the procurement of K239 Chunmoo multiple launch rocket systems, spending less than half of the project's planned budget.
Hanwha Aerospace confirmed it has received a contract from Norway for K239 Chunmoo MLRS systems. For 16 launchers, an undisclosed quantity of guided rockets, and integrated logistics support, Norway paid just $922 million.
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Notably, according to the previously allocated amount, the total budget for Norway's MLRS project is approximately $2 billion. While $922 million corresponds to this specific agreement signed on January 30, the remaining funds will go toward other projects.
This suggests that just over $1 billion will be allocated to other initiatives, which may include both infrastructure deployment and involvement of local companies in production. The latter aligns with the South Korean manufacturer's policy, which is currently setting up production lines in Poland.
Hanwha believes the successful contract signing was aided by positive experience with K9 self-propelled howitzer procurement. Since 2017, through several agreements, 52 artillery units and 14 K10 ammunition resupply vehicles have been purchased.
The company notes that previous contracts paved the way for the Chunmoo acquisition. Hanwha adds that the system will be optimized for use in extremely low temperatures and Arctic environments, as well as for full compatibility with Norway's defense infrastructure and command systems.
Currently, the list of users who already have or have ordered the K239 includes South Korea, Poland, Estonia, Norway, and the Middle East. As previously mentioned, thanks to the Poles, a European ammunition production line is also being deployed.
In Norway's tender, Chunmoo managed to beat competitors due to full compliance with requirements, willingness to cooperate, and very high delivery rates. The biggest blow was dealt to the German-Israeli EuroPULS, which we described in detail here.
It should be noted that the U.S. M142 HIMARS falls short mainly in delivery timelines, as Canada was quoted just $1.75 billion for 26 launchers and a large quantity of rockets. However, this creates dependence on the American defense industry, which is unwilling to integrate its own ammunition even into European MLRS systems, let alone localization.
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