With the additional purchase of the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) by the U.S. defense industry corporation Lockheed Martin which had been pursued by Estonia becoming uncertain, Hanwha Aerospace's Chunmu (K-239) is once again receiving attention. Estonia and Lockheed Martin are continuing negotiations over delivery times. Given that Poland and others have previously chosen Chunmu for reasons such as delivery times and after-sales service, interest is focused on whether the export of Chunmu will materialize.
According to foreign media and the defense industry on the 25th, Minister of Defense Hanno Pevkur of Estonia recently said to the military news outlet Breaking Defense, "I want to ask if the U.S. is ready to speed up production of the HIMARS. The delivery times are very long, and we do not have that much time." Minister Pevkur mentioned Hanwha Aerospace as an alternative option.
Minister Pevkur visited South Korea in January, focusing on long-range strike capabilities, mentioning weapons systems. Long-range strikes refer to targeting deep into enemy territory, and it is assessed that this pertains to Hanwha Aerospace's K9 self-propelled howitzer and Chunmu. Estonia's history of introducing the K9 self-propelled howitzer also raises expectations for exports. The Polish military news outlet Defense24 recently stated, "If Estonia chooses Chunmu, synergies can be expected with Poland, which is already operating Chunmu in the region."
Estonia announced in September of last year that it would spend a total of 1.6 billion euros (2.4 trillion won) of its defense budget on long-range ammunition purchases. Most of this was intended for the additional purchase of HIMARS. Earlier, in December 2022, Estonia had signed a contract with the U.S. for the introduction of HIMARS, with plans to introduce six launchers, but it is reported that the delivery of this quantity has yet to occur.
HIMARS has been an absolute powerhouse in the multiple launch rocket system field. Since being deployed in 2005, it has been introduced by many countries, including Jordan and Romania. Its operational capabilities were proven when Ukraine struck deep into Russia with HIMARS. Its compact size, allowing it to be transported by medium transport aircraft, is also an advantage. However, the production speed is slow since multiple companies are involved. Lockheed Martin handles the development and system integration, while the launch vehicle is built by Oshkosh in the U.S., and the engine is made by Caterpillar in the U.S.
There have been instances where efforts to introduce HIMARS were delayed, leading to a shift to Chunmu. Poland ordered 20 HIMARS (18 for combat, 2 for training) in 2019, with a goal of introduction in 2023, but judged that the additional HIMARS supply was difficult to deliver quickly, resulting in the choice of Chunmu. A Middle Eastern country also considered both HIMARS and Chunmu before opting for Chunmu due to delivery times and pricing.
Chunmu was developed from 2009 to 2013 with a budget of over 130 billion won and was deployed for operational use starting in 2015. It has the advantage of being able to launch rockets of various calibers, including precision-guided rockets like missiles, and is priced lower compared to HIMARS. Other European countries, such as Norway and Romania, are also reportedly considering the introduction of Chunmu.