Hanwha Aerospace Sets Sights on Malaysian MRLS Contract Возможности!

Hanwha Aerospace, the leading aerospace and defense corporation in South Korea, has entered into a memorandum of agreement with Widad Business Group, a Malaysian investment enterprise, to enhance their collaborative efforts on the Malaysian Army’s multiple rocket launcher procurement initiative.
The non-legally binding accord was executed on May 6 by Tan Sri Dato Muhammad Ikmal Opat Abdullah, Chairman of Widad Business Group, and Go Sang-hwe, Executive Vice President of Hanwha Aerospace, who is also the General Manager of Hanwha Aerospace’s Daejeon Facility, during the Defence Service Asia (DSA) Exhibition and Conference 2024, scheduled from May 6-9 in Kuala Lumpur. Notable attendees included Malaysian Defense Minister Dato’ Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin; Minister Seok Jong-gun of South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration; the Malaysian Chief of Armed Forces General Tan Sri Muhammad Ab Rahman; and the Malaysian chief of army General Tan Sri Dato’ Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan.
“I am truly impressed by Hanwha’s remarkable history of providing exceptional defense solutions to numerous nations globally,” stated Tan Sri Dato Muhammad Ikmal Opat Abdullah, Chairman of Widad Business Group. “With their aspirations, creativity, and determination to excel on a global scale, I am confident we have discovered a substantial partner to expand our operations in the defense arena. I eagerly anticipate the benefits of this collaboration in the forthcoming years.”
Go Sang-hwe, Executive Vice President of Hanwha Aerospace, remarked, “Hanwha Aerospace is dedicated to actively seeking methods to bolster the military capabilities of Malaysia based on the memorandum signed today.
Moreover, we commit to cultivating cooperation with pertinent agencies, ensuring that our endeavors in the defense sector pave the way for shared progress and success in the future.”

Malaysia aims to acquire cutting-edge multiple rocket launchers along with other auxiliary vehicles by 2026 to update the outdated inventory of 36 Astros II systems manufactured in Brazil, with final proposition submissions from contenders expected in the second quarter of 2025.
The K239 Chunmoo is a premier self-propelled multiple rocket launcher system currently operational with several countries, including South Korea, Poland, and various others in the Middle East. It supports simultaneous loading of two distinct types of rocket pods, while each K239 MRLS launcher vehicle is accompanied by an ammunition support vehicle, which carries four reload pods.

The K239 MRLS is capable of firing a variety of rockets and missiles, showcasing its versatility and adaptability to meet diverse operational requirements. It can launch 130mm and 239mm rockets, covering ranges of 36 and 80 kilometers, respectively. Additionally, it is capable of deploying a 290mm ballistic missile with a maximum range of 290 kilometers. The 290km CTM-290 missile was successfully test-launched from a Polish Chunmoo system, designated Homar-K, at a state-owned test facility in South Korea.