SEOUL — South Korean company Hanwha and Norwegian firm Kongsberg have signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate on the development of an infantry fighting vehicle and a long-range precision fires system, the former announced.

The memo was signed during the Eurosatory defense expo in Paris, France, on June 14 by three Hanwha affiliates — Hanwha Defense, Hanwha Defense Australia and Hanwha Corporation — and Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace.

The Norwegian Defence Material Agency has issued a request for information on new infantry fighting vehicles, and later this year it plans to release another RFI for a long-range precision fires system, namely multiple launch rocket systems.

Hanwha Defense and its Australian subsidiary have previously developed and delivered armored combat vehicles, such as the amphibious K21, which is in service with the South Korean Army, and the Redback, which is shortlisted as one of two candidates for the Australian LAND 400 Phase 3 project for the Australian Defence Force.

“This MoU confirms our ongoing work with Kongsberg on different programs, including Australia and internationally, bringing together best of breed technology solutions from all companies,” said Richard Cho, the managing director of Hanwha Defense Australia, referring to an existing memorandum of understanding with Kongsberg Defence Australia for the integration of tactical communication systems and battle management systems into the AS9 Hunsman, an Australian version of the K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzer.

Hanwha Corporation is a leading South Korean defense company specialized in precision-guided munitions and missiles. It developed the K239 Chunmoo to replace the American-made M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System.

The Chunmoo is a multicaliber rocket system using 130mm, 227mm and 230mm rockets.

Under the plan, which was endorsed May 30 by a top decision-making committee of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, the government will spend 750 billion won (U.S. $600 million) over the next five years to procure PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement weapons. The government did not disclose a quantity for the missile interceptors.

The DAPA committee also approved a plan to upgrade the existing PAC-2 launchers for use with PAC-3 platforms. The PAC-2 launcher enables missiles to intercept hostile targets at an altitude of about 20 kilometers (12 miles), whereas the PAC-3 launcher can destroy incoming missiles at an altitude of 40 kilometers.

The PAC-3 MSE uses a two-pulse, solid-fuel rocket motor that increases altitude and range to defend against evolving threats. “The latest decision to get more PAC-3 interceptor missiles is aimed at improving the existing air defense system over the Seoul metropolitan area and key state facilities,” DAPA said in a statement. “The buy of more PAC-3 missiles will help enhance our missile defense capability to thwart the ballistic missile threat.”

South Korea’s decision to boost its missile intercepting capability came about a week after its northern neighbor fired three ballistic missiles, including a possible intercontinental ballistic missile, toward waters off the Korean Peninsula’s east coast. The missiles were fired shortly after U.S. President Joe Biden wrapped up a trip to the region, where he pledged efforts to strengthen deterrence against the North’s increasing nuclear threat.

South Korea has been developing its own a missile shield, called the Korea Air and Missile Defense, a terminal-phase, lower-tier, overlapping missile defense system. The KAMD consists of an early warning system, a command-and-control system, and an intercept system.

For interception, the South Korean military has acquired Patriot missiles and medium-range surface-to-air missiles. It is also developing a long-range surface-to-air missile system with an extended intercept range using domestic technology as part of efforts to help improve its capability to defeat incoming ballistic missiles.

SEOUL and BEIRUT — Hanwha Defense has signed the largest deal to export its K9 self-propelled howitzers and other support vehicles to Egypt, South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration announced Feb. 1.

The arms agency did not disclose the details of the deal, valued around $1.7 billion, but a source privy to the deal told Defense News that about 200 K9 artillery systems will be supplied to the Egyptian military, along with scores of support vehicles, such as the K10 ammunition resupply vehicles. On Feb. 2, Hanwha confirmed the contract value in a news release.

“The contract is valued around $1.7 billion for hundreds of the K9 Self-Propelled Howitzer (SPH), K10 Ammunition Resupply Vehicles, and K11 Fire Direction Control Vehicle,” the company said. “The K11 Fire Direction Control Vehicle is a new vehicle to be developed for the Egyptian military. Using the K9 chassis, the command-post vehicle will be equipped with a range of high-tech sensor and communication equipment in accordance with operational requirements of the Egyptian Army and Navy.”

Under the deal, most of the artillery and vehicles are scheduled to be locally produced at Factory 200, a state-run defense manufacturing facility just outside the Egyptian capital, while an initial batch is to be delivered by Hanwha Defense, according to the source.

According to the DAPA, the signing ceremony was held at Artillery House in Cairo. The long-awaited deal goes back to at least 2009, when Egypt expressed interest in updating its artillery systems. But efforts were postponed for nearly a decade as the country underwent a revolt — part of what was dubbed the Arab Spring, a wave of pro-democratic protests, revolutions and civil wars in the region that began in 2011.

“The latest deal is the first export of the K9 Self-Propelled Howitzer to Africa following the artillery’s successful exports to European and Asia-Pacific nations,” DAPA said. “This is the largest K9 deal in scale, making Egypt the eighth country to operate the K9.”

Hanwha Defense, a land systems developer affiliated with Hanwha Group, participated in the Egypt Defence Expo from Nov. 29 to Dec. 2, during which it displayed its self-propelled gun. On the opening day of the show, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi met with Son Jae-il, president and CEO of Hanwha Defense, to discuss bilateral cooperation, including the potential acquisition of the artillery systems.

At the time, the Egyptian presidential office said the meeting “reviewed opportunities to strengthen joint cooperation in light of the modern technological and manufacturing capabilities of the Korean company.”

Also in attendance were the minister of defense and military production, Gen. Mohamed Zaki; the head of the Armed Forces Financial Affairs Authority, Maj. Gen. Ahmed El-Shazly; and the director of the military’s Armament Authority, Maj. Gen. Osama Ezzat.

The K9 accounts for nearly 50 percent of the global self-propelled howitzer market, as it is in service with seven countries: South Korea, Turkey, Poland, India, Finland, Norway and Estonia. Australia recently signed a deal for the K9 under its Project LAND 8116 Phase 1.

The tracked artillery system meets NATO standards and can be deployed in a large range of environments, including snowy terrain and deserts.

Equipped with a 360-degree rotating turret, the 47-ton weapon has a firing range of 40 kilometers and moves as fast as 67 kph. Fitted with an automatic fire control system, the howitzer can fire within 30 seconds from a stationary position and within 60 seconds while on the move, with a burst rate of fire from six to eight rounds per minute.

Egypt’s land forces currently operate versions A2, A3 and A5 of the American-made M109 howitzer.

Valued about $3.5 billion, the contract for the Cheongung II KM-SAM weapons was singed Jan. 16 during a meeting between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Emirati Prime Minister Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in Dubai as they discussed economic cooperation.

Earlier, South Korean defense firms involved in the missile’s production signed respective deals with the UAE-based Tawazun Economic Council: LIG Nex1 will help with system integration; Hanwha Systems will provide a multifunctional radar; and Hanwha Defense will develop the missile’s vertical launcher as well as its ammunition resupply vehicles.

“The UAE is the first foreign nation to operate the Cheongung II,” South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration said in a news release. “The deal is the result of the bilateral defense cooperation based on mutual trust and will serve as a watershed moment for future direction of the two nation’s strategic defense partnership.”

Along with the missile acquisition contract, the two governments signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on defense technologies, including the co-development of weapons systems, DAPA added.

The KM-SAM was first developed by the South Korean Agency for Defense Development with technical support from Russian firms. It was based on technology from the 9M96 missile used on S-350E and S-400 missile systems, and created to replace the older Hawk surface-to-air missiles that were adopted in 1964.

A complete battery consists of four to six eight-cell transporter erector launchers, a multifunction phased array 3D radar, and a fire command vehicle. Employing so-called hit-to-kill technology, the missile can intercept up to six hostile missiles coming in at altitudes below 40 kilometers, with a detection range of 100 kilometers. The missiles have anti-electronic warfare capabilities to keep functioning, despite jamming.

The system passed the South Korean military’s operational requirement verification test in 2015 and began deployment in early 2016, according to the Air Force.

The deal is worth about $730 million, representing the highest-valued export of Hanwha’s K9 self-propelled howitzer, nicknamed Thunder and known in Australia as the AS9.

The signing was witnessed by South Korean President Moon Jae-in and his Australian counterpart, Prime Minister Scott Morrison, on Dec. 13 at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, while the two countries marked the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties.

Under the contact for the Land 8116 acquisition project, Hanwha Defense Australia will manufacture 30 AS9 Huntsman self-propelled guns and 15 AS10 armored ammunition resupply vehicles for delivery between 2025 and 2027 at its facility in Geelong, Victoria.

“With Australia’s close proximity to South Korea, and the strong bilateral relationship between the two countries, Hanwha’s Australian facility will become a critical and important secondary line of supply back to South Korea,” aid Richard Cho, managing director of Hanwha Defense Australia, which was established in 2019. He added that the Australian industrial base will help Hanwha fulfill contracts in other parts of the world and deliver capacity to engage with the Five Eyes, an intelligence alliance consisting of the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

Australian Defence Minister Peter Dutton was confident the acquisition of the “Huntsman family of vehicles” will help enhance the capability of the Australian forces. “The prime ability of the new vehicles is to fire and move quickly, avoiding enemy counter-attack,” the minister said. “This project will mean a significant increase in the level of firepower and security for Australian artillery capability.”

Hanwha’s K9 features a proven 155mm/52-caliber gun in service with seven nations around the world: South Korea, Turkey, Poland, India, Finland, Norway and Estonia. About 1,700 K9 variants are in use among those countries. Negotiations are underway between Hanwha and the Egyptian government for the K9.

The K9 has a firing range of 40-plus kilometers with conventional 155mm ammunition. It can move as fast as 67 kph. Fitted with an automatic fire control system, the howitzer can fire within 30 seconds from a stationary position and within 60 seconds while on move.

Based on the K9 features, the AS9 Huntsman will be specifically built to meet the requirements of the Australian Army by adding enhanced armor and weapon-locating radars, according to Hanwha officials.

The AS10 is also to feature better armor protection compared to the classic K10 ammunition resupply vehicle. Hanwha also forged a partnership with Kongsberg for the integration of tactical communication systems and battle management systems for the Huntsman.

“The Self-Propelled Howitzer capability, including a strengthened industrial base, is one of several projects that will modernize the Australian Army, ensuring it continues to maintain a capability advantage now, and into the future,” Dutton said.

Australian Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price expressed hope that the AS9 facility will bring economic benefits to the domestic industry by creating hundreds of local jobs and becoming a national asset for military capability.

Earlier this year, Hanwha Defense formed “Team Thunder” with U.K. suppliers to bid for the British Army’s Mobile Fires Platform program. A request for proposals for the program is expected to be released as early as 2022. Team Thunder includes Pearson Engineering, Horstman Defence Systems, Leonardo in the UK, and Canada’s Soucy Defense.

Hanwha Defense is offering the newer K9A2 gun, which is still under development. The K9A2 is to be equipped with a fully automated ammunition loading system capable of firing 9-10 rounds per minute. Other advanced technologies under consideration include composite rubber tracks and mine protection kits.

With the advanced K9 technologies, including an autoloader, Hanwha Defense is also looking to participate in the U.S. Army’s Extended Range Cannon Artillery program. The company plans to take the K9 artillery to Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona, to demonstrate its performance and compatibility with American munitions.

The LAMD concept model was displayed at the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition 2021 at an air base in Seongnam, south of Seoul. The LAMD consists of a missile launcher, a command post and a multifunctional radar.

LIG Nex1 displayed a missile that is expected to be modified from the company’s Korean Surface-to-Air Anti-Missile, or K-SAAM, co-developed by the Agency for Defense Development.

An LIG Nex1 official said the missile is to be fitted with an active radar seeker for terminal guidance and capable of intercepting targets up to 7 kilometers away at a maximum altitude of 5 kilometers. The launcher has 16 launch containers in a 4×4 arrangement and is expected to be mounted on a semi-trailer.

“LIG Nex1 has developed and produced a wide range of defense systems for air defense, surveillance, command-and-control, communications, and electronic warfare,” the company said in a press release. “Taking advantage of accumulated technologies and knowhow on systems integration, engagement control, precise tracking and others, we will contribute to developing a state-of-the-art missile interceptor to defend against North Korea’s growing threats of artillery pieces.”

The LAMD is part of South Korea’s efforts to build an advanced layered air defense network that includes land- and ship-based missile defense systems. The LAMD is focused on neutralizing incoming artillery rockets from the North to defend the Seoul metropolitan area in the South, as the North Korean military is believed to have deployed hundreds of long-range artillery pieces along the Military Demarcation Line.

The South Korean military was considering buying the Israeli Iron Dome, but changed its mind given the Israeli air defense system was developed to deter mortar shells, which is less powerful than artillery rockets and short-range ballistic missiles fired by the North.

The request for proposal for the LAMD system is to be issued next year, with a goal to deploy the air defense systems in the early 2030s.

Besides LIG Nex1, Hanwha Systems is expected to compete for the $2.4 billion acquisition program by offering its long-range surface-to-air radar and other sensor systems.

Nicknamed “Black Kite,” the twin-seat concept aircraft features an electric propulsion system powering a total of four propellers mounted on the wings. It is expected to replace the KT-1 basic trainer in service with the South Korean Air Force.

“The output of engine power for the next-generation basic trainer is to be increased to at least 1,600 horsepower, and the aircraft is to be equipped with a digital cockpit and pressurization system, which will result in greater operational convenience for the pilot,” the aerospace company said in a press release.

The low-emission aircraft is expected to be 4.7 meters (15.4 feet) high and 11.6 meters long with a wingspan of 11.2 meters. The aircraft is also to leverage augmented reality and virtual reality to enhance the pilot’s training experience.

KAI officials anticipate the fleet of KT-1 basic trainer aircraft will be replaced by newer models in the mid-2030s, as the South Korean Air Force has been flying the KT-1 for primary and basic training and forward air control missions since 2000.

KAI also developed the T-50 supersonic trainer jet, with some 80 T-50 variants being delivered to the South Korean Air Force and 20 more on order for pilot training, acrobatic and combat support missions.

Israel Aerospace Industries, or IAI, and Korea Aerospace Industries, or KAI, signed a memorandum of understanding on Oct. 20 on a loitering munitions program for maximizing the effectiveness of strike missions against enemy air defenses, according to an IAI statement.

The agreement was made during the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition 2021 (ADEX 2021) running Oct. 19-23 at an airbase in Seongnam, just south of Seoul.

“IAI is proud to continue expanding our collaboration with KAI, and share our combat-proven capabilities in the field of loitering munitions,” Yehuda (Hudi) Lahav, executive vice president of marketing at IAI, said. “IAI is happy to partner with one of Korean’s leading companies, and to continue growing our collaboration with the local defense market and Korean industry leaders.”

KAI’s Chang Heon-han, executive vice president and head of future business division, said: “With the goal of leading the future of unmanned aerial vehicles, we are dedicated to developing next-generation unmanned aerial vehicle technology, and we will develop solutions that meet various customer needs.”

Loitering munitions combine the capabilities of drones and missiles by searching, identifying, attacking, and destroying targets. The new class of weapons system can be used to target especially sensitive and moving targets.

In March the two companies signed an initial agreement to collaborate on loitering munitions with regards to the South Korean Army’s pursuit of manned-unmanned teaming, or MUM-T, systems.

Under the scheme, a KAI-built helicopter would hover at distance while an onboard unmanned aerial vehicle searches for a target and strikes it immediately when necessary.

“The expanded cooperation between IAI and KAI will offer the South Korean military with new technologies, and will establish concrete cooperation plans through joint feasibility studies between the two companies,” the company statement said, referring to the Israeli company’s HARPY NGW and HAROP loitering missile as combat-proven in many nations around the world.