Hanwha Aerospace said Wednesday it had signed an agreement with US defense company Northrop Grumman to jointly develop a long-range missile system, marking the South Korean company’s latest push into the US defense market.
The agreement was signed Tuesday at Sea Air Space 2026, a major defense exhibition in Maryland.
The two companies will cooperate on the development of the first-stage solid-fuel rocket monitor for Northrop Grumman's Advanced Reactive Strike, or AReS, missile system.
AReS is a surface-launched, long-range missile system designed to provide rapid mobility and launch capability, requiring a high-performance propulsion system.
Hanwha Aerospace said it will participate from the early stages of development of the missile's first-stage rocket motor.
Hanwha said it planned to leverage its production capacity and manufacturing technologies to speed up both development and future mass production. The companies aim to demonstrate the jointly developed system in 2027.
The partnership comes as Hanwha steps up efforts to expand its presence in the US, the world’s largest defense market, while seeking to procure the US Army’s self-propelled howitzer modernization program.
Hanwha Aerospace has recently been broadening its cooperation with major US defense contractors as it seeks to deepen its foothold in the country and other allied markets.
"This partnership will further strengthen our technology and manufacturing capabilities as we seek to enter the US defense market," a Hanwha Aerospace official said.
“In an environment where aerial and maritime threats are evolving rapidly, it is important to develop weapon systems that ensure dominance for the US and its allies," a Northrop Grumman official was quoted as saying. “We will work with Hanwha Aerospace to deliver innovative and cost-effective solutions.”
sahn@heraldcorp.com
