Croatia is taking a significant step in modernizing its military capabilities by acquiring 18 K239 Chunmoo multiple-rocket launchers from South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace. This move aligns Croatia with other European nations seeking alternatives to the widely recognized M142 HIMARS by Lockheed Martin.
As Croatian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Ivan Anušić stated, the Chunmoo system is gaining traction among European countries such as Poland, Estonia, and Norway due to its “relatively short delivery times of 24 to 36 months, better availability, lower prices, and openness to industrial cooperation.”
Valued at approximately €544.1 million ($631.9 million), the procurement will see deliveries to Croatia from 2026 to 2029. Hanwha Aerospace is set to provide the launchers, ammunition, and additional equipment, while the Polish company WB Group will supply a command-and-control system to integrate the components into a cohesive operational unit.
This acquisition is intended to replace Croatia’s outdated M-92 Vulkan and GRAD BM-21 systems, which were originally produced in Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union, respectively. Anušić emphasized this purchase, alongside Croatia’s 2021 acquisition of 12 second-hand Dassault Rafale F3-R fighter jets from France, as among the most significant military procurements since the conclusion of Croatia’s independence war in 1995.
In a related development, December 2024 saw Croatia approve the purchase of eight HIMARS launchers from the United States, under a contract valued at around $351 million.
However, the recent Iran conflict has led the U.S. government to warn of potential delays in military deliveries, including HIMARS ammunition, raising concerns among NATO’s eastern members.
