Norway has selected the K239 Chunmoo multiple launch rocket system from South Korean defense contractor Hanwha Aerospace over competing options from Europe and the US.
Announced by the Norwegian government, the decision covers the acquisition of 16 launchers and a large inventory of missiles across three range categories, including strike capability out to 500 kilometers (311 miles).
Deliveries of the launch units and training materials are scheduled for 2028 and 2029, with missile deliveries following in 2030 and 2031.
The decision represents one of the largest investments ever made for the Norwegian Army and marks a notable shift in Norwegian procurement patterns, which have traditionally favored European and American suppliers.
Moreover, it builds on Norway’s existing relationship with South Korea, following Oslo’s earlier acquisition of K9 Vidar self-propelled howitzers from Hanwha.
Behind the Decision
In November 2025, Norway narrowed its options to Hanwha Aerospace’s Chunmoo and Lockheed Martin’s HIMARS to replace the army’s aging rocket artillery, after dropping the EuroPULS system proposed by a partnership between Elbit Systems and KNDS Deutschland.
The Norwegian Armed Forces later assessed the South Korean firm as the only supplier able to meet all its performance, delivery time, and cost framework requirements, according to Defense Minister Tore O. Sandvik, leading to the Chunmoo system’s ultimate selection in January 2026.
A key factor in the evaluation was missile range. The Chunmoo can field multiple missile types, including long-range variants reaching up to 500 kilometers (311 miles) — a capability that competing commercial offers could not match.
In addition, it can be delivered faster and at a lower cost compared to the other options.
Another decisive advantage for Hanwha is its growing European supply chain centered in Poland. Warsaw is acquiring nearly 300 Chunmoo systems and has partnered with Hanwha to produce missiles in Poland, with plans for potential exports to other European countries.
Hanwha also offered an industrial cooperation package with Norwegian companies, valued at 120 percent of the contract value, and agreed to begin receiving payments only once deliveries begin.
With the Chunmoo acquisition, Norway joins a growing group of NATO members turning to the South Korean system to rapidly field long-range rocket artillery, adding a new deep-strike dimension to NATO’s northern flank amid heightened security concerns.
