The Estonian MoD and the South Korean Ministry of National Defense signed a defence co-operation agreement in Seoul, South Korea, on 23 October for Estonia to purchase South Korean K239 Chunmoo MRLs. (Hanwha Aerospace )
Estonian Minister of Defence Hanno Pevkur and his South Korean counterpart, Ahn Gyu-back, signed a defence co-operation agreement in Seoul, South Korea, on 23 October for Estonia to purchase South Korean K239 Chunmoo multiple rocket launchers (MRLs), the Estonian Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced in a press release later the same day. The ministry expects the agreement to result in tens of millions of euros in direct investments in the Estonian defence industry.
The Estonian MoD placed the procurement in the context of Estonia rapidly increasing its deep-strike capability to potentially be able to wage war on enemy territory and to provide national and NATO deterrence and defence capabilities.
“To this end, it is necessary to increase Estonia’s deep-strike capability with additional rocket launchers,” Pevkur said. “We began developing our deep-strike capability with the acquisition of US HIMARS rocket launchers, and we have also agreed with the US on the acquisition of additional HIMARS [High Mobility Artillery Rocket System] units, for which we are currently awaiting exact delivery dates from the US. To further strengthen its deep-strike capability, the [Estonian] Defence Forces [EDF] have selected Chunmoo rocket launchers manufactured by a South Korean company.”
Pevkur noted that Poland has a similar solution based on US MRLs and Chunmoo. Poland has a framework contract with Hanwha for 290 Chunmoo systems running from 2023 to 2029.
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