Estonia has signed a new defense cooperation agreement with South Korea to procure the K239 Chunmoo multiple launch rocket system (MLRS), a move aimed at strengthening its long-range strike capabilities and reinforcing deterrence on NATO’s eastern flank. The acquisition further deepens Tallinn’s defense ties with Seoul while diversifying its rocket artillery fleet.
The Chunmoo system, developed by Hanwha Aerospace, will complement Estonia’s six US-supplied HIMARS launchers, which were ordered in 2022 and officially delivered in January 2025. As a NATO member bordering Russia, Estonia continues to invest in advanced precision-strike assets to enhance interoperability and readiness across the alliance. Additional HIMARS units are also under consideration to further bolster the nation’s firepower.
Upon delivery, Estonia will become the second European operator of the Chunmoo MLRS after Poland, which ordered over 200 launchers in 2022 to work alongside its HIMARS systems. Warsaw followed up with another order for 72 more Chunmoo units in April 2024, reinforcing its role as the primary European production and integration hub for the platform.
Poland’s first K239 launcher arrived in 2023 under the designation “Homar-K”, and in April 2025, Hanwha Aerospace partnered with WB Electronics to begin local missile production within three years, including plans for exports to other European countries. Additionally, Sweden’s Saab has teamed up with Hanwha to explore integrating the Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB) into the Chunmoo system, expanding its precision-strike capabilities for European defense forces.
