Hanwha Aerospace proposes ground defense solutions to Canadian minister
From left, Son Jae-il, president and CEO of Hanwha Aerospace; Stephen Fuhr, Canada's secretary of state for defense procurement; and Philippe Lafortune, Canadian ambassador to Korea, poses for a photo during their visit to the company's plants in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, Tuesday. Courtesy of Hanwha Aerospace
Hanwha Aerospace, a Korean defense company, proposed an integrated ground defense solution to Canada's defense procurement minister during his visit to the company's production facilities on Tuesday, the company said.
Stephen Fuhr, Canada's secretary of state for defense procurement, visited Hanwha Aerospace's plants in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, following a visit to Hanwha Ocean's shipyard in Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province, the previous day.
The visit was aimed at assessing Korea's defense industry capabilities ahead of Canada's large-scale military modernization program known as the indirect fire modernization (IFM) initiative, the company said.
Canada plans to deploy about 250 infantry fighting vehicles in its army by 2030, six years earlier than originally scheduled.
The Canadian delegation, consisting of about 30 members led by Fuhr, toured production lines for the K9 self-propelled howitzers and the Chunmoo multiple rocket launcher system (MRLS), and observed live mobility demonstrations of the K9, the Redback armored fighting vehicle and the K21 infantry fighting vehicle.
During the visit, Hanwha Aerospace proposed an integrated firepower and maneuver solution combining the K9 self-propelled howitzers, the MRLS and the Redback vehicle. The K9 howitzers are currently operated by more than 10 countries, including six members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
The company also proposed a partnership aimed at building a local defense industry ecosystem in Canada, citing its experience in Australia.
Hanwha Aerospace established a manufacturing base, the Hanwha Armored Vehicle Center of Excellence (H-ACE), in Geelong, near Melbourne, in August 2024, creating local jobs and enabling technology transfer.
"We aim to become Canada's leading partner in its military modernization program by leveraging our decades of technological expertise and proven track record in meeting delivery schedules," said Son Jae-il, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Hanwha Aerospace.
Fuhr said the visit to Hanwha Aerospace's facilities would serve as an important opportunity to further develop defense cooperation between the two countries.
On Monday, he visited Hanwha Ocean's shipyard in Geoje to review the company's shipbuilding capabilities as Canada seeks to select a supplier for a major submarine acquisition project.
Hanwha Ocean and Germany's Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) were shortlisted last summer for the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP), valued at about 60 trillion won ($41 billion).
The finalists are required to submit their proposals to the Canadian government by March.