Estonia has signed a follow-on contract with South Korea to procure three additional K239 Chunmoo multiple launch rocket systems.
The agreement builds on a 290-million-euro ($340-million) contract signed in December for the procurement of six Chunmoo launchers and three types of missiles — the 239mm CGR-080, the CTM-MR, and the CTM-290 tactical ballistic missile.
This is intended to supplement Tallinn’s six US-supplied HIMARS launchers ordered in 2022 and received in January 2025. Estonia has also recently signed a contract with Lockheed Martin to expand its HIMARS fleet by adding three more launchers.
“The contract for three additional Chunmoo systems represents a significant capability development and reflects our increasingly active and effective cooperation with our South Korean partners,” Estonian Minister of Defense Hanno Pevkur said.
CEO of Hanwha Aerospace Jae-il Son added that the contract enables the company to “further contribute to strengthening Estonia’s defense capabilities and defense-industrial ecosystem.”
Chunmoo MLRS
Developed by Hanwha Aerospace for the Republic of Korea Army, the K239 Chunmoo is capable of firing rockets of various calibers and ranges for different mission requirements, including precision strikes, area suppression, and extended-range engagements.
Mounted on a highly mobile 8×8 truck chassis, the system is compatible with munitions such as 239mm guided rockets with ranges of up to 80 kilometers (50 miles), as well as longer-range weapons including the CTM-290 tactical ballistic missile, which can strike targets at distances of up to 290 kilometers (180 miles).
The K239 launcher carries two launch pods that can accommodate multiple loadouts, including 20 K33 131mm unguided rockets, six KM26A2 230mm rockets, or six 239mm guided rockets.
Meanwhile, a single CTM-290 missile occupies an entire launch pod, allowing the Chunmoo vehicle to carry a total of two CTM-290 missiles across its dual-pod launcher configuration.
The system can reportedly launch a full salvo of up to eight rockets in less than a minute, enabling rapid and concentrated battlefield firepower.
Additional capabilities include automated reloading, networked coordination with other artillery assets, and compatibility with extended-range munitions capable of striking targets beyond 100 kilometers (62 miles).
