Hanwha plans to establish an arms factory in Romania’s Dambovita county within two years, aiming to create a regional hub for the production, maintenance, and repair of its K9 and K10 howitzers. The company, having secured a contract with Romania’s Ministry of Defense last July to supply these vehicles, intends to shift production to Romania over time, initially fulfilling urgent orders through direct imports.
The factory’s construction, slated to begin in the first quarter of next year, will involve collaboration with Romanian companies like Pro Optica and Iveco. Hanwha has already established a Bucharest office to coordinate the project. The initial phase of vehicle delivery, as per the contract, will see units shipped from South Korea while the Romanian facility is simultaneously built.
Hanwha envisions the Romanian factory generating up to 2,000 jobs, with training opportunities provided to local specialists in South Korea or through on-site courses. The company’s strategic vision extends beyond fulfilling the current contract, aiming to position Romania as a central hub for European operations, handling component production, maintenance, and repairs for its systems within NATO and Europe.
In July 2024, Hanwha Aerospace and the Ministry of National Defence of Romania signed a contract for the supply of 54 K9 self-propelled howitzers (SPH) and 36 K10 ammunition resupply vehicles (ARV), with the contract valued at approximately $1.0 billion dollars. Hanwha will deliver the vehicles in stages over the next five years, with the first delivery expected by the beginning of 2027. Most of the vehicles will be manufactured in Romania, with extensive involvement from local suppliers. The deliveries will be made in three batches of 18 K9s and 12 K10s.
A military history enthusiast, Richard began at Forecast International as editor of the World Weapons Weekly newsletter. As the Internet grew in importance as a research tool, he helped design the company's Forecast Intelligence Center and currently coordinates the EMarket Alert newsletters for clients. Richard also manages social media efforts, including two new blogs: Defense & Security Monitor, covering defense systems and international issues, and Flight Plan, which focuses on commercial aviation and space systems. For over 30 years, Richard has authored the Defense & Aerospace Companies, Volume I (North America) and Volume II (International) services. The two books provide detailed data on major aerospace and defense contractors. He also edits the International Contractors service, a database that tracks all the contractors involved in the programs covered in the FI library. More recently he was appointed Manager, Information Services Group (ISG), a new unit that encompasses developing outbound content for both Forecast International and Military Periscope.
