Paris: Hanwha Aerospace and Thales have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to cooperate on land-based long-range precision strike capabilities. Hanwha will adapt its Chunmoo guided missiles to be compatible with Thales’ X-Fire launcher platforms. This partnership strengthens collaboration between European and Korean industries, focusing on the international market.
Hanwha will support Thales’s solution for deep strike systems by ensuring its Chunmoo guided missiles are compatible with Thales’ X-Fire launcher platforms.
The MoU was signed on June 17 at Eurosatory 2026 in Paris and was attended by Kyoung-hoon Kang, Head of the European Business Team at Hanwha Aerospace, and Julien Assoun, Vice-President Vehicles and Tactical Systems at Thales, along with representatives from both companies.
Under the agreement, the two companies will pursue technical cooperation to ensure capability of three weapons from Hanwha’s Chunmoo family with Thales X-Fire launcher platforms:
- The CGR080 is a guided rocket with a range of up to about 80 km, available immediately,
- The CTM-MR, a medium-range missile in the roughly 160 km class,
- The CTM290, a tactical ballistic missile with a range of up to 290 km.
By enabling compatibility with Thales X-Fire launcher platforms, Hanwha supports Thales’s solution to meet the current operational needs in deep strike.
The X-Fire ground-based launcher, developed by Thales and Soframe, is versatile and interoperable, designed to fire any type of long-range munition. It has already conducted its first demonstration firings on 20 May 2026. Modern and extremely mobile, this launcher is capable of rapid deployment, making it particularly well-suited to today’s missions. Furthermore, its training capabilities have already been demonstrated.
This agreement strengthens the cooperation between European and Korean companies, with Hanwha Aerospace working closely alongside the local European industry, and both companies exploring further collaboration opportunities in European markets.
“This MoU strengthens our partnership and enhances long-range precision strike capabilities to reinforce collaboration on the international market. Together, we will deliver flexible and interoperable solutions to meet the current operational needs in deep strike,” stated Julien Assoun, Vice-President Vehicles and Tactical Systems, Thales.
Kyoung-hoon Kang, Head of the European Business Team, Hanwha Aerospace said, “This MoU is a starting point for combining Hanwha Aerospace’s guided missiles with Thales’s launcher platforms. We will continue to look for ways to cooperate with local industry in France and across Europe.”
