Hanwha Aerospace Eyes Game-Changing MRLS Deal in Malaysia!

Hanwha Aerospace, the premier aerospace and defense enterprise in South Korea, has formalized a memorandum of understanding with Widad Business Group, a Malaysian investment firm, to bolster their collaborative initiatives regarding the Malaysian Army’s procurement program for multiple rocket launchers.
This non-binding agreement was signed 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 also serves as the General Manager of the Daejeon Facility at Hanwha Aerospace, during the Defence Service Asia (DSA) Exhibition and Conference 2024, which is set to take place from May 6-9 in Kuala Lumpur. Prominent figures in attendance 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 army chief General Tan Sri Dato’ Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan.
“I am genuinely impressed by Hanwha’s extraordinary legacy of delivering outstanding defense solutions to numerous countries worldwide,” stated Tan Sri Dato Muhammad Ikmal Opat Abdullah, Chairman of Widad Business Group. “With their vision, innovation, and commitment to achieving excellence on a global platform, I am confident we have found a robust ally to broaden our operations in the defense sector. I eagerly await the advantages of this partnership in the upcoming years.”
Go Sang-hwe, Executive Vice President of Hanwha Aerospace, commented, “Hanwha Aerospace is committed to actively exploring avenues to enhance the military capabilities of Malaysia based on the agreement formalized today.
Furthermore, we pledge to foster collaboration with relevant agencies, ensuring that our efforts in the defense domain pave the way for mutual growth and success in the future.”

Malaysia aspires to acquire state-of-the-art multiple rocket launchers alongside other support vehicles by 2026 to modernize the antiquated inventory of 36 Astros II systems produced in Brazil, with final proposal submissions from bidders anticipated in the second quarter of 2025.
The K239 Chunmoo represents a leading self-propelled multiple rocket launcher system currently utilized by several nations, including South Korea, Poland, and various others in the Middle East. It accommodates simultaneous loading of two different types of rocket pods, while each K239 MRLS launcher vehicle is accompanied by an ammunition support vehicle, which can carry four reload pods.

The K239 MRLS is proficient in launching a range of rockets and missiles, exemplifying its versatility and adaptability to cater to diverse operational demands. It can fire 130mm and 239mm rockets, reaching distances 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-fired from a Polish Chunmoo system, designated Homar-K, at a state-owned test facility in South Korea.