The highest-ranking official overseeing U.S. Army weapons acquisition visited Hanwha Aerospace’s Changwon defense production lines to inspect the company’s ground equipment manufacturing capabilities, signaling that South Korea-U.S. defense cooperation is deepening further on the back of the wheeled self-propelled howitzer program.
Hanwha Aerospace announced on the 2nd that Brent Ingraham, U.S. Army Assistant Secretary for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology, and his delegation visited the company’s Changwon Plants 2 and 3 on the 26th of last month. Ingraham oversees more than 550 acquisition programs and a portfolio worth approximately $170 billion within the U.S. Army. He previously served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Platform and Weapon Portfolio Management, handling major weapons acquisition across aviation, maritime, cyber, and electronic warfare systems.
The delegation observed automated processes including robotic welding at the wheeled K9 self-propelled howitzer production site and watched mobility demonstrations of both wheeled and tracked K9 variants. They also reviewed Hanwha’s key defense portfolio, including the Chunmoo multiple launch guided missile system, the M-SAM medium-range surface-to-air missile, the L-SAM long-range surface-to-air missile, the Redback infantry fighting vehicle, and the Korean Vertical Launch System (KVLS). The visitors reportedly showed considerable interest in the automation level of the production lines and the actual equipment in operation.
The timing of the visit is particularly noteworthy. It came immediately after Hanwha Defense USA (HDUSA), Hanwha Aerospace’s U.S. subsidiary, signed a prototype supply contract for the U.S. Army’s Mobile Tactical Cannon (MTC) program. The MTC is a next-generation wheeled self-propelled howitzer initiative aimed at enhancing mobility and rapid deployment capabilities, and Hanwha has secured a foothold in the U.S. ground defense market through its selection as a prototype supplier. The two sides also discussed additional cooperation measures to support U.S. Army force modernization during the visit.
Michael Coulter, CEO of Hanwha Defense USA, said, “For more than 70 years, the U.S.-South Korea alliance has been a cornerstone of peace and security, and defense cooperation has become a critical pillar supporting that alliance.” He added, “Hanwha will strengthen the alliance’s deterrence and contribute to the U.S. defense industrial base with its proven manufacturing capabilities and global production experience.”
Hanwha’s push into the U.S. procurement market extends beyond ground equipment. In the shipbuilding sector, the company is pursuing the acquisition of Austal USA, which builds small surface combatants and auxiliary support vessels for the U.S. Navy, following its acquisition of the Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia. Separately, a key official responsible for shipbuilding policy at the U.S. Department of the Navy recently visited South Korea privately and toured Hanwha Ocean’s facilities. The delegation reportedly also visited HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and SK oceanplant to assess production capabilities that could meet U.S. Navy demand.
The successive visits by senior U.S. Army and Navy acquisition officials to South Korean defense and shipbuilding facilities demonstrate that the United States is actively evaluating allied production capacity as a complement to its own military supply chain. The visit, coming on the heels of the concrete achievement of the wheeled self-propelled howitzer prototype contract, could be interpreted as a signal that boosts the likelihood of Hanwha establishing a firm foothold in the U.S. ground defense market.