On Friday, January 16, 2026, following consultations in the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence, the Norwegian Storting voted by a majority of members to select the offer from the South Korean company Hanwha Aerospace featuring the K239 Chunmoo multiple rocket launcher system, and to secure funding for contract implementation under the LLPI (langtrekkende presisjonsild) program.
The K239L launcher of the K239 Chunmoo system / Photo: Hanwha Aerospace
The Storting approved a budget of 19.098 billion NOK for multiple rocket launcher systems with ballistic missiles with a range of up to 500 km (the South Koreans have developed an export missile with such a range, designated CTM-X – editor’s note). As a result, the counteroffers, the U.S. proposal with the Lockheed Martin M142 HIMARS and the Israeli-German EuroPULS, were rejected. Notably, based on information about approval to purchase the Lockheed Martin system on August 9, 2024, it is known that the government in Oslo was interested in at least 16 new launchers (with reports currently indicating between 15 and 23 units).
According to local media, opponents from the Centre Party (Senterpartiet), the Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti), and the Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) favored a Norwegian-European solution – most likely EuroPULS. Supporters from the ruling Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet), the opposition Conservative Party (Høyre), and the Green Party (Miljøpartiet De Grønne) argued for rapid deliveries of the South Korean launchers, citing Poland and its Homar-K system as an example.
Parliament also approved the purchase of two additional Type 212CD (Common Design) submarines on top of the four already ordered jointly with Germany (which had earlier increased its own order from two to six), raising the budget from 52 billion NOK to 98 billion NOK.
Between 1999 and 2005, Norway operated 12 heavy M270 MLRS launchers ordered from the United States for 1.5 billion NOK. They served with the Royal Norwegian Artillery Battalion (Artilleribataljonen) of Brigade Nord at the Setermoen garrison in Troms county. In June 2021, U.S. M270 MLRS units trained in Setermoen. In recent years, M142 HIMARS launchers belonging to the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) have also been regularly deployed to Norway for exercises.
Following the outbreak of the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war, Oslo decided to support the United Kingdom, which was transferring its M270A2 systems to Kyiv. On June 29, 2022, Norway announced the transfer of three retired launchers to London, followed by another eight on May 13, 2023 (one launcher remained in Norway as a museum exhibit).
It is also worth noting that the Norwegian Army (Hæren) already operates another Hanwha Aerospace artillery product—155 mm K9 VIDAR self-propelled howitzers (Versatile InDirect ARtillery), the local version of the K9A1 Thunder (28 units delivered with a further 24 on order).
K239 Chunmoo
Aside from Poland, in Europe Estonia decided to procure the K239 Chunmoo on October 23, 2025 (the number of launchers has not yet been disclosed). Earlier, the system was delivered to the United Arab Emirates (12 units) under a 2017 contract and to Saudi Arabia (number undisclosed; deliveries were confirmed in 2023). The system is currently also being offered to Malaysia, Sweden, and Iraq.
The K239 Chunmoo is equipped with two rocket pods that can accommodate four types of guided rockets as well as unguided 131 mm rockets (36 rounds). In the case of guided munitions, each pod can carry, depending on the effector used, either six 239 mm CGR-080 guided rockets with a range of 80 km or one 600 mm CTM-290 guided ballistic missile with a range of 290 km (for the latter, an extended-range missile for export purposes is currently under testing).
At ADEX 2025, a modernization concept dubbed Chunmoo 3.0 was presented, intended to be integrated with new types of munitions, including CTM-MR anti-ship missiles or CTM-ASBM anti-ship ballistic missiles with a range of 160 km, as well as L-PGW100 loitering munitions. During MSPO 2025, an agreement was concluded with Saab Defence and Security regarding the integration of GLSDB (Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb) precision munitions.
On September 11, 2025, Hanwha Aerospace signed an agreement with BAE Systems to integrate British advanced anti-jamming GPS guidance systems with South Korean guided rockets from the Deep Strike Capability product line for the Chunmoo system.
Hanwha is also working on a lighter, unmanned launcher variant currently designated the Unmanned Amphibious Multi-Rocket Launcher, intended to be autonomous and to feature a combat weight of 17 tonnes (compared to 31 tonnes for the baseline K239 Chunmoo). In addition, a manned HPRS (High-Performance Rocket System) on a 6×6 chassis is being developed exclusively for CTM-MR and CTM-ASBM missiles.
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