Norway has selected the K239 Chunmoo multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) from South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace, choosing the Asian supplier over competing European and US-made options in a major modernization step for the Norwegian Army.
The Norwegian government announced that the procurement will include 16 Chunmoo launchers along with a substantial stockpile of missiles across three range categories, including long-range strike munitions with a reach of up to 500 kilometers (311 miles). Deliveries of the launch units and associated training materials are scheduled for 2028 and 2029, while missile deliveries are planned for 2030 and 2031.
Officials described the decision as one of the largest single investments ever made for the Norwegian Army. It also marks a notable shift in Oslo’s defense procurement pattern, which has traditionally favored suppliers from Europe and the United States.
The deal builds on Norway’s existing defense relationship with South Korea. In recent years, Oslo has already acquired K9 Vidar self-propelled howitzers from Hanwha, which are now in service with the Norwegian Army.
In November 2025, Norway narrowed its competition to two finalists: Hanwha Aerospace’s Chunmoo and Lockheed Martin’s HIMARS, after dropping the EuroPULS system proposed by a partnership between Israel’s Elbit Systems and Germany’s KNDS Deutschland. Following further evaluations, the Norwegian Armed Forces concluded that Hanwha was the only supplier able to fully meet requirements related to performance, delivery timelines, and cost, Defense Minister Tore O. Sandvik said.
Missile range was a decisive factor in the final assessment. Chunmoo can deploy a variety of missile types, including long-range variants reaching 500 kilometers, a capability that Norwegian officials said competing commercial offers could not provide. The system was also assessed as cheaper and faster to deliver than its rivals.
Another key advantage was Hanwha’s expanding European industrial footprint, particularly in Poland. Warsaw is acquiring close to 300 Chunmoo systems and has partnered with Hanwha to produce missiles locally, with the potential for exports to other European countries.
Hanwha also offered an industrial cooperation package with Norwegian companies valued at 120 percent of the contract’s worth and agreed to receive payments only once deliveries begin.
With the Chunmoo acquisition, Norway joins a growing number of NATO members turning to South Korean long-range rocket artillery to rapidly enhance deep-strike capabilities, strengthening deterrence along NATO’s northern flank amid heightened regional security concerns.
