The Norwegian government announced its selection of Hanwha Aerospace’s K239 Chunmoo as the winner of its competition for a multiple launch rocket system.
Initiated in late 2024, the competition included Germany’s KNDS and Rheinmetall; a Swedish-American consortium of Saab and Boeing; the US HIMARS, involving Lockheed Martin; and Hanwha. The procurement is valued at 19 billion Norwegian kroner (approximately US$2 billion) and includes 16 launch systems and an unspecified number of missiles. Norwegian Defence Minister Tore O. Sandvik stated in a press release, “This is one of the largest investments ever made for the Army.”
According to Sandvik, after an in-depth evaluation, the Hanwha offer was the only bid that fully met all requirements for performance, delivery speed, cost, and full system integration. According to the government, the Hanwha offer provided a delivery that was “faster and more reasonable than the other alternatives.” Launch units will be delivered starting in 2028, with training to achieve full operational capability within four years.
Norway joins Poland and Estonia, NATO members who have selected the Korean Chunmoo over alternative systems, including the US HIMARS. The lengthy delivery times offered for the latter have been instrumental in its unsuccessful selection.
The K239 Chunmoo is a truck-based, self-propelled multiple-launch rocket system (MLRS) capable of firing guided and unguided artillery rockets. The K239 has two launch pods, each capable of launching K33 131 mm rockets with a range of 36 km, the KM26A2 230 mm with a range of 45 km, and 239 mm Chunmoo guided rockets (CGR-080) with either high-explosive penetration warheads or cluster bombs, with a range of up to 200 km. The pod can launch its rockets in 30 seconds and can reload both rocket pods in seven minutes. In addition, it is compatible with the recently developed CTM family, ranging from the CTM-ASBM anti-ship ballistic missile to the long-range CTM-X, which reportedly offers a range of around 500 km.
This additional selection by a NATO army, together with the realisation of local European manufacturing and support in Poland, is significant and could enhance Chunmoo’s attractiveness to other militaries in the region when assessing its ability to meet their long-range multiple-rocket-launcher requirements.
by Stephen W. Miller
