Peter Bae, head of Hanwha Aerospace Romania, speaks at the Land Warfare Europe conference in Bucharest, Romania, Tuesday (local time). Courtesy of Hanwha Aerospace Romania

Hanwha Aerospace Romania has pledged to give vital support for Romania's military modernization and the reinforcement of NATO's eastern flank in response to the ongoing security challenges and threats coming from the war in Ukraine.

Established as a subsidiary of South Korea's Hanwha Aerospace, the company will advance strong partnership with Romania providing local manufacturing and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services promising substantial economic benefits for Romanian industry and workforce.

In July, Hanwha Aerospace secured a major contract with Romania's Ministry of National Defence to supply 54 K9 self-propelled howitzers and 36 K10 ammunition resupply vehicles.

"By this important step, the creation of Hanwha Aerospace Romania, we dedicate ourselves to delivering cutting-edge defence capabilities to the Romanian Armed Forces," Peter Bae, head of Hanwha Aerospace Romania, said at the Land Warfare Europe conference in Bucharest.

About 200 military and industry leaders from over 20 countries joined the two-day conference, supported by the Romanian Armed Forces, to discuss ways of responding to the changing security environment and facilitating industrial cooperation.

"Furthermore, we will develop strong partnerships with local industries and defense companies by activating valued localization programs including local manufacturing, technology transfer and MRO operations," Bae said.

To further solidify these goals, the company plans to construct a state-of-the-art facility in Romania dedicated to production, research, testing, training and MRO services.

Hanwha Aerospace Romania also aims to integrate Romanian enterprises into Hanwha's global supply chain, facilitating the provision of essential defense systems, such as K9 self-propelled howitzers adopted by 10 countries, including six NATO states.

The company is proposing the Redback Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) for Romania's IFV modernization program. The Redback was selected for Australia's LAND 400 Phase 3 next-generation IFV program. The tracked vehicle features best-in-class armored protection, mobility and lethality based on a range of innovative technologies such as composite rubber tracks, an active protection system and a see-through armor helmet-mounted display.

As the K9 and Redback share a high level of commonality in terms of chassis and powertrain, operating both systems could lead to significant cost savings and manufacturing efficiency for the industry, as well as bring operational benefits for the army.