Hanwha and WB Group to produce guided missiles in Poland

Hanwha Aerospace has announced a new joint venture with Poland’s WB Group to locally produce guided missiles for the Homar-K multiple rocket launch system—part of a broader push to deepen defence ties with NATO and bolster European missile manufacturing.

The South Korean defence giant will hold a 51% stake in the new enterprise, while WB Electronics, a subsidiary of WB Group, will own the remaining 49%. The venture will begin operations following approval from Poland’s antimonopoly regulator.

The initiative will focus on building CGR-80 guided missiles with an 80km range for the Homar-K launcher—a Polish version of the Chunmoo system already being integrated onto Polish Jelcz 8×8 chassis. The missiles are also expected to be marketed to other European countries, signalling ambitions beyond domestic demand.

“We believe the joint venture will contribute to the growth of Polish industrial capability, as well as to the modernisation of the Polish Armed Forces,” said Billy Boo-hwan Lee, Head of Hanwha Aerospace’s Precision Guided Munitions Business Group. “Thanks to this endeavour, our industries will also gain the opportunity to jointly enter new European markets with competitive, combat-proven missile technologies.”

Piotr Wojciechowski, Chairman of WB Group, described the agreement as “a clear roadmap for building a missile production site in Poland,” noting that it would increase national autonomy in munitions manufacturing.

“The factory will increase Poland’s independence in ammunition production and provide huge potential for industrial and economic growth,” he said. “We expect the plant to become a supply centre not only for the Polish armed forces but also for the armies of other European countries.”

The Homar-K programme itself has been held up as a model of localisation. Polish industry already handles much of the system integration, including the use of the domestically developed Topaz combat management system and other indigenous components.

The joint venture is part of Hanwha’s broader expansion strategy across NATO and EU states, with the company aiming to pair technology transfer with local employment and manufacturing. The new facility will employ Polish engineers and establish a domestic supply chain under Polish law.

Michael Coulter, President and CEO of Hanwha Global Defense, said the deal marked a broader turning point. “The latest JV agreement with WB Group is a significant milestone for Hanwha’s continued expansion in the global defence market,” he said. “It also represents Hanwha’s strong commitment to delivering technology edge and sovereign, domestic capacity to our global customers.”

Hanwha has previously signed contracts for the delivery of 290 Chunmoo rocket artillery systems, capable of firing both the CGR-80 and longer-range 290km munitions. The company hopes this latest venture will reinforce both Poland’s security and its defence export potential.