Hanwha Aerospace said on the 13th that it completed phase-two expansion of its local plant H-ACE in Geelong, Australia. It secured production facilities about two years after signing a contract in Dec. 2023 with the Australian government to supply 129 Redback infantry fighting vehicles (IFV).
The phase-two facilities consist of a second production building, the Southern Hemisphere's largest electromagnetic interference and compatibility (EMI/EMC) test lab, a large-scale washing facility, and a finished goods storage building. Core facilities including the second production building were completed a month and a half ahead of schedule.
Since opening the phase-one facilities in 2024, the Australian plant has produced AS9 self-propelled howitzers and AS10 ammunition resupply vehicles. With the phase-two expansion, about 32,000 square meters of facilities were added, establishing a production system capable of simultaneous production of howitzers and armored vehicles.
As a result, the Australian plant has grown to a size that can accommodate more than 250 office and production personnel. It has two production buildings, a 1.2-kilometer driving test track (including gradient and deep-water test facilities), a system integration lab, and painting facilities. Hanwha Aerospace's cumulative investment amounts to about A$225 million (about 240 billion won).
Hanwha Aerospace plans to use the Australian plant as a strategic production and maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) hub not only for Australia and Korea but also for the Indo-Pacific region.