Targeting Europe’s Defense Market: Hanwha Unveils Air Defense, Unmanned Systems and Space AI in Poland

[Financial News] Hanwha Group is expanding its push into the European defense market, building on the business foundation it secured in Poland through the K9 self-propelled howitzer and K239 Chunmoo multiple rocket launcher programs. The group plans to pursue additional local contracts by offering integrated solutions spanning land, maritime and space, including multilayered air defense, manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T), unmanned surface vessels (USVs) and space-based artificial intelligence (AI).
Hanwha Aerospace and Hanwha Systems announced on the 7th that they will jointly participate in the 34th International Defence Industry Exhibition (MSPO 2026), held in Kielce, Poland, from the 8th to the 11th. The companies will operate an integrated 274-square-meter exhibition hall and showcase products designed to meet European demand for stronger air-defense networks and expanded unmanned systems. More than 1,000 defense companies from around 40 countries are expected to participate in the exhibition.
Hanwha Aerospace will place a multilayered air-defense network at the center of its display, capable of responding in stages to threats at low, medium and high altitudes. The exhibits will include the Long-range Surface-to-Air Missile (L-SAM), the H-SHORAD short-range air-defense system, the H-SHIELD counter-drone system and a 40mm wheeled unmanned air-defense system. Each system is configured to work with Hanwha Systems’ command-and-control (C2) system and interceptor drones, enabling an integrated response to various threats.
Hanwha Systems will also showcase laser-based anti-aircraft weapons. The exhibits will include Cheonggwang, Korea’s first laser air-defense weapon to be deployed, a 50kW-class mobile laser armored vehicle and a 20kW-class laser tactical vehicle. Laser weapons are drawing attention as counter-drone tools because they can quickly neutralize small targets, including microdrones, at a relatively low launch cost.
In the unmanned-systems sector, the companies will unveil a MUM-T operational concept linking the K9A1 self-propelled howitzer, an unmanned amphibious multiple-launch rocket system and the H-UGV unmanned ground vehicle. Under the concept, manned self-propelled howitzers provide fire support while unmanned systems handle reconnaissance and maneuvering, reducing personnel exposure to danger and expanding the operational range. The K21 Korea Next-generation Infantry Fighting Vehicle (K21 KNIFV), an export-oriented infantry fighting vehicle, and an active protection system (APS) will also be displayed.
At sea, Hanwha Group will target Baltic Sea countries’ demand for maritime-force modernization with Striker-S, which combines an unmanned surface vessel with a Chunmoo launcher. The initiative is intended to expand the group’s export portfolio beyond conventional ground-based weapons to maritime unmanned systems.
Products aimed at winning additional Polish contracts will also take center stage. Hanwha Aerospace will display K9A2, an upgraded version of the K9 self-propelled howitzer, along with 155mm course-correcting fuzes and modular charge systems (MCS), while pursuing Poland’s third K9 executive contract (EC3). It will also introduce a four-type lineup of Chunmoo guided missiles to meet Europe’s demand for long-range precision strikes.
The group will emphasize its post-sale support capabilities as well. It plans to highlight its ability to provide packages covering maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), including a health and usage monitoring system (HUMS) that diagnoses equipment conditions in real time and predicts maintenance schedules, a K9 turret simulator and maintenance training.
On the 9th, Hanwha Systems will hold an AI-solution launch event at the exhibition and, for the first time, demonstrate how AI analyzes in real time imagery captured by satellites currently in operation. The solution analyzes imagery from electro-optical (EO), infrared (IR) and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites to perform automatic object detection, situational-pattern analysis and anomaly detection, supporting commanders’ decision-making.
A Hanwha Group official said, "The trust we have demonstrated through the K9 and Chunmoo programs is Hanwha’s greatest asset." The official added, "We will continue presenting tailored solutions and actively contribute to the self-defense capabilities of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies and the development of the defense-industry ecosystem."
[email protected] Won-il Jeong Reporter