The Norwegian government announced its selection of Hanwha Aerospace’s K239 Chunmoo in its competition for its multiple launch rocket system.
Initiated in late 2024 competitors included Germany’s KNDS and Rheinmetall; a Swedish-American consortium of Saab and Boeing; the US HIMARS involving Lockheed Martin, and Hanwha. The procurement has a value of nineteen billion Norwegian kroner (around US$2 billion) that includes sixteen 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 determined to be only the 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 is “faster and more reasonable than the other alternatives.” Launch units will be delivered beginning 2028 with training to achieve full operations within four years.
Norway joins Poland and Estonia NATO members who have selected to field the Korean Chunmoo over alternative systems including the US HIMARS. The lengthy delivery times presented for the later have been instrumental in its unsuccessful selection.
The K239 Chunmoo is truck based self-propelled multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) capable of firing several different guided or unguided artillery rockets. The K239 has two launch pods. capable of launching K33 131 mm rockets with 36 km range, the KM26A2 230 mm with 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 kilometres. 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 five hundred kilometres.
This additional selection by a NATO army and the realization of local European manufacturing and support in Poland is of significant importance and could positively influence the attractiveness of Chunmoo to other militaries in the region in their assessment of its ability to meet their own long range multiple rocket launcher requirements.
by Stephen W. Miller
