K239 Chunmoo

South Korea's wheeled multi-caliber multiple launch rocket system — firing guided rockets, tactical ballistic missiles, and unguided munitions from a single 8×8 chassis, now spreading across NATO's eastern flank.

Overview

The K239 Chunmoo (Korean: 천무, "Heavenly Warrior") is a road-mobile, multi-caliber multiple launch rocket system developed by Hanwha Aerospace and operated by the Republic of Korea (ROK) Army and a growing number of export customers. It fires a family of unguided and precision-guided rockets from 131 mm to 600 mm calibre from a single 8×8 wheeled launcher, covering ranges from 36 km to 290 km. This payload breadth, combined with competitive pricing and supply-chain independence from the United States, has made the Chunmoo the most successful Korean defence export since the K9 Thunder howitzer, with major orders from Poland, Norway, Estonia, and Gulf states.

Development

The K239 program began in 2009 as the first major South Korean defence development led by private industry — Hanwha (rocket) and Doosan DST (vehicle) — rather than the state Agency for Defense Development (ADD). The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) invested 131.4 billion won (~$112.4 million) in the program, which completed in late 2013. Wikipedia notes that initial production began in August 2014, and the system entered ROK Army service in August 2015. The Chunmoo was designed to replace the ageing K136 Kooryong and to outrange North Korean rocket artillery; early batteries deployed to the frontline islands of Yeonpyeong and Baengnyeong in 2016.

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