South Korean defense industry leader Hanwha Aerospace announced Friday its strategic partnership with Estonian unmanned systems specialist Milrem Robotics. This collaboration aims to bolster Romania’s uncrewed ground vehicle (UGV) program, signifying Hanwha Aerospace’s expanded focus on advanced European defense solutions beyond traditional artillery systems.
The pivotal agreement was formally signed on Thursday at the BSDA 2026 defense exhibition in Bucharest, Romania. The signing ceremony involved key representatives from Hanwha Aerospace, Milrem Robotics, and Hanwha Aerospace Romania, solidifying their commitment to this joint venture.
In response to heightened regional security concerns, European nations and NATO members are actively increasing their adoption of advanced multipurpose unmanned systems. Romania, in particular, is prioritizing the integration of a next-generation uncrewed ground vehicle platform as a crucial component of its comprehensive military modernization efforts.
Hanwha Aerospace brings to the partnership its robust portfolio of in-house developed wheeled UGV platforms, including the versatile Arion-SMET and GRUNT. Milrem Robotics contributes its globally recognized tracked UGV platform, THeMIS, lauded for its exceptional off-road mobility, innovative hybrid propulsion system, and proven capability to seamlessly integrate diverse mission equipment under real-world combat conditions.
Building on their respective strengths, the two companies are now jointly developing a larger, more advanced tracked UGV platform designed to surpass their current systems. This collaboration follows a successful manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) demonstration conducted in Romania, where the GRUNT and THeMIS platforms showcased seamless operational synergy.
Hanwha Aerospace is strategically planning to establish a localized production and supply chain for these cutting-edge unmanned solutions within Romania. This initiative is a cornerstone of its broader strategy to expand its uncrewed systems business across the entire European defense market.
“THeMIS stands as one of Europe’s pioneering UGV systems to achieve mass production status,” stated Kuldar Varsi, CEO of Milrem Robotics. “Our collaboration with Hanwha Aerospace will be instrumental in expanding crucial production capabilities in Romania and significantly revitalizing the regional defense industry ecosystem.”
Lim Kyung-wook, head of Hanwha Aerospace Romania, emphasized the partnership’s strategic importance: “Through this alliance, we are committed to delivering advanced solutions specifically optimized for Romania’s unique operational environment, while simultaneously expanding our state-of-the-art unmanned systems portfolio throughout Europe and across vital NATO markets.”
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