Hanwha System is launching aggressive marketing for the export of its Command, Control, Communication, Computer, and Intelligence (C4I) system to the Australian government. As Hanwha System has invested a significant amount of time in Australia, it is reported to have made some progress. C4I refers to the consolidation of Command, Control, Communication, Computer, and Intelligence, allowing the sharing of battlefield information by connecting land, sea, air, and space through communication. With the increasing emphasis on combined operations of manned and unmanned systems across the globe, C4I has emerged as the core communication system to realize this.
According to military authorities and defense industry sources on the 18th, Hanwha System is preparing a proposal to participate in the enhancement project of the Australian military's command and control system. Hanwha System emphasizes its capability to expand communication areas by connecting its Tactical Information Communication Network (TICN) with the low Earth orbit satellites of the British satellite communications company OneWeb. The scale of the export currently under discussion is estimated to be in the hundreds of billions of won.
Hanwha System is working to participate in the Australian military's satellite communication network construction project, known as Land 4140. Land 4140 aims to improve the command, control, and weapon systems of the entire Australian military. The formal bidding is expected to take place in the second quarter of this year. In 2021, Hanwha System entered the satellite internet market by acquiring a 9% equity stake in OneWeb for $300 million.
Hanwha System has expanded its business operations by forming partnerships with local corporations in Australia to win the Land 4140 contract. Last year, it signed a memorandum of understanding with GME, an Australian company specializing in radio transceivers. GME has been operating in the radio frequency (RF) communication sector for over 60 years.
Hanwha System is proposing its C4I system to senior military officials in the Middle East. The company emphasizes that its C4I can integrate multi-layered air defense systems, ranging from Cheongung (M-SAM) II to Long-range Surface-to-Air Missile (L-SAM).
If Hanwha System succeeds in exporting C4I, it could lead to the export of the Korean multi-layer defense system as well. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration is expecting a package export of the Korean multi-layer defense system, having begun the development of L-SAM II with Hanwha System and 18 other companies. The Korean multi-layer defense system is capable of integrating the Cheongung II and L-SAM systems, and it is priced lower than products from the United States and Israel.