Hanwha Systems has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with German defence firm Diehl Defence to pursue a strategic partnership focused on integrating and exporting multi‑function radars (MFR) for ground‑based air defence (GBAD) systems.
The agreement, announced October 21 during the Seoul International Aerospace & Defence Exhibition (ADEX) 2025 in Goyang, will see the two companies cooperate on technical integration, joint market analysis, and system verification using operational radar equipment. The partnership aims to accelerate Hanwha Systems’ global expansion in radar businesses by leveraging Diehl Defence’s established European supply network.
Diehl Defence is a prominent system house for advanced air‑defence solutions, guided missiles, ammunition and reconnaissance/protection systems. Its GBAD portfolio includes the IRIS‑T SLM, a medium‑range surface‑to‑air system noted for intercepting missiles, fighter aircraft, UAVs and drones. The IRIS‑T SLM gained international recognition following deployments in the Ukraine conflict, and it is a central element of the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI)—a multinational effort led by Germany to build a layered air‑defence network across Europe by 2030.
Hanwha Systems is recognized in Korea for multi‑layer air‑defence solutions and has developed MFRs for major domestic programs such as LAMD (long‑range artillery defense), M‑SAM‑II (Cheongung‑II), and the long‑range L‑SAM and L‑SAM‑II interceptors. Its MFRs have also drawn overseas interest, with exports of Cheongung‑II radars to the United Arab Emirates in 2022 and to Saudi Arabia in 2024.
Through technical cooperation with Diehl Defence, Hanwha Systems intends to broaden its export markets in Europe and beyond and strengthen the competitiveness of its radar systems internationally.
At ADEX 2025, Hanwha Systems also signed a separate MOU on October 22 with another major European defence company to deepen collaboration on AESA radars for combat aircraft and to expand cooperation into electro‑optics and avionics. In 2024, Hanwha exported the antenna—the cost‑dominant core component—of the GRIFO‑EK AESA radar for light combat aircraft to Italy’s Leonardo, highlighting its growing role in international radar supply chains.
