Kim Dong-gwan "One Step Closer as Korea's Leading Defense Company"... 3 Trillion Won Armored Vehicle Supply Contract with Australia

The First Case of Developing and Supplying Defense Products for Export

Hanwha has signed a final contract to supply 3 trillion won worth of armored vehicles, 'Redback,' to Australia.

Hanwha Aerospace announced on the 8th that its Australian subsidiary (HDA) signed a main contract worth 3.1649 trillion won with the Australian Department of Defense to supply 129 units of the future tracked infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) 'Redback.' In July, the Australian government selected Redback as the preferred candidate for the 'Land 400' military modernization project.

Future-oriented Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) Redback (Photo by Hanwha Aerospace)

According to this contract, Hanwha Aerospace will sequentially supply 129 Redback vehicles by 2028. The Redback will be produced at the 'H-ACE (Hanwha Armored Vehicle Center of Excellence)' factory currently under construction in Geelong, Victoria, Australia, which is also being built for the production of K9 self-propelled howitzers.

Hanwha Aerospace has created the first successful case of supplying equipment developed for export to Australia, a country with a top-level military alliance with the United States. It took five years from company-led research and development of a weapon system not yet deployed domestically, through testing, to supply.

HDA applied advanced technologies tailored to the Australian military’s requirements, including 360-degree external surveillance equipment used in advanced fighter jets, systems to detect and intercept anti-tank missiles, rubber tracks that increase durability while reducing weight, and special protective features that withstand anti-tank mines.

Richard Cho, head of HDA, said, "We boldly invested and entered the project even when there were no blueprints. We completed prototype production one month before the final candidate decision, and the trust built by fully keeping promises with the Australian government during the testing process greatly influenced the final contract."

Future-type tracked infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) Redback (Photo by Hanwha Aerospace)

The Korean government also played a significant role in strengthening security and diplomatic cooperation with Australia and securing the reliability of a product never used domestically. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration introduced a military trial operation system for export weapon systems, and the Army’s 11th Division Armored Reconnaissance Battalion conducted a trial operation of the Redback last year, alleviating Australian concerns.

Hanwha Aerospace confirmed through this contract the potential for defense industry based on advanced technology to continuously grow as South Korea’s mid- to long-term future growth engine and a national strategic industry.

Son Jae-il, CEO of Hanwha Aerospace, emphasized, "We succeeded in the final contract for Redback thanks to full institutional support from the government and military as well as diplomacy. We will do our best to combine South Korea’s well-established defense parts ecosystem, top-level production capabilities, and advanced technology to make the defense industry the next-generation growth engine of South Korea."

Kim Dong-kwan, Vice Chairman of Hanwha Group, said, "In the recent turbulent international situation, this is another step forward as a defense company representing Korea. We will continue to seek roles not only for the national security of allied countries but also for energy security and maritime security."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.