Hanwha Aerospace

Hanwha Aerospace is South Korea's most strategically significant defense manufacturer and one of the fastest-growing defense exporters in the world. Part of the Hanwha Group conglomerate, the defense division produces ground combat systems, artillery, aerospace propulsion, and increasingly sophisticated autonomous weapons platforms designed for the high-intensity warfare threat posed by North Korea — a threat environment that has driven Korea to invest heavily in AI-enabled autonomous systems.

The K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzer has become one of the most commercially successful artillery systems in history, with over 1,700 units delivered to more than ten nations including Australia, India, Poland, Finland, and Norway. The latest AI-integrated variants incorporate autonomous fire control, automated ammunition handling, and AI-assisted target engagement that dramatically reduces crew workload and increases rate of fire.

The Redback Infantry Fighting Vehicle program — developed in competition for the Australian Land 400 Phase 3 contract — represents Hanwha's ambition in autonomous ground combat. Redback incorporates AI active protection, autonomous threat detection, and a digital backbone designed to integrate with future autonomous ground vehicle wingmen operating alongside crewed vehicles.

South Korea's unique threat environment, facing one of the world's most capable and unpredictable adversaries across a heavily fortified border, has driven the ROK military and its defense industry to invest earlier and more aggressively in autonomous systems than most Western militaries. Hanwha is the primary beneficiary of this strategic imperative.

• AUSTRALIA
  Land 400 Phase 3 (Redback): Hanwha is a finalist in Australia's $27 billion Land 400 Phase 3 IFV competition with Redback. Award would be one of the largest ground combat vehicle contracts in Australian history.
• POLAND
  K9A1 Krab / K239 Chunmoo: Landmark contract for over 600 K9 howitzers and K239 multiple rocket launcher systems. Poland's largest defense procurement, driven by NATO eastern flank reinforcement following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
• ROK ARMY
  Korean Army Autonomous Systems: Domestic Korean Army contracts for next-generation autonomous ground vehicle systems and K9A2 howitzers with full AI fire management integration across ROK artillery units.
• INDIA
  K9 Vajra-T: License-production contract with India's Larsen and Toubro for the K9 Vajra-T howitzer variant. 100 units for Indian Army with progressive indigenous production increase. Further orders anticipated.
• NORWAY / FINLAND
  Nordic K9 Procurement: K9 Thunder contracts with Norwegian and Finnish armies providing AI fire control artillery capability for NATO northern flank defense against Russian ground forces.