Hanwha Group [KRX: 000880]
Integrated Combat Power across Domains

For Hanwha, integration starts with the expertise available across the group. Hanwha Aerospace is strongest in land-based defense equipment and support, Hanwha Systems in electronics and information technologies, and Hanwha Ocean in naval engineering. Together, their work covers sensors, battlefield networks, unmanned equipment, space technology and long-term support. The practical benefit is the ability to move information between systems instead of leaving each platform to operate on its own.

Much of that information backbone comes from Hanwha Systems. Its C5I business covers command and control, military communications and battlefield information systems. Radar, electro-optical equipment, ISR, space technologies and unmanned systems provide further inputs. Once information enters the network, it can be passed to the people and platforms carrying out a mission.

That idea is finding its way into familiar land platforms. Hanwha Aerospace’s K9 self-propelled howitzer is one example. During 2026, the company discussed fire-guidance drones and digital technologies in connection with the K9, providing another way to bring battlefield and targeting information into artillery operations. Ammunition support comes from the K10, which handles resupply in the field.

Chunmoo brings long-range precision fires to the mix, while Redback is built to support infantry as a tracked fighting vehicle. Their jobs are different, but they become more useful when they operate as part of the same larger system, connecting fires, mobility, information and logistics. That kind of integration also has to account for local conditions. Norway, for example, selected Chunmoo in January 2026 and plans to adapt the system for Arctic operations.

Building Connected Defense Ecosystems

Modern forces need more than individual sensors, weapons and vehicles. They also need a way to move useful information between them. Hanwha Systems addresses this through communications, radar, sensors and command-and-control technology. Its work in autonomy adds unmanned equipment to the picture, including arrangements where robotic and crewed platforms operate together under human direction.

The principle carries over to naval operations. Hanwha Ocean has experience building surface ships and submarines, while Hanwha Systems provides combat management, communications, sensors and unmanned technologies. MADEX 2025 showed the companies working across these areas, with conventional naval platforms presented alongside autonomous equipment, combat systems and energy-storage technology.

Air defense presents another challenge but depends on the same flow of information. Radar and other sensors first detect and track a threat. Command systems can then send relevant information to engagement systems. Counter-UAS equipment broadens this defensive mix by addressing unmanned aerial threats.

Space is becoming another part of the information picture. Hanwha Systems works with satellites, radar, electro-optical equipment and related space technologies. Hanwha has also shown AI-based tools for processing space-derived information. The objective is to deliver useful information to commanders and operational units in a form they can act upon.

South Korea remains the home base for this work. Hanwha’s domestic activities cover artillery, naval technology, maritime surveillance, air defense, unmanned equipment and space. C5I provides a route for information to move between these areas instead of remaining confined to individual systems.

Autonomy is expanding the number of platforms within this network. Hanwha is working on unmanned ground vehicles and manned-unmanned teaming, where robotic equipment supports personnel and crewed platforms. At MSPO in September 2026, its display included K9, air-defense and counter-UAS technology, unmanned naval systems, teaming concepts and space-related AI.

Strengthening Sovereign Capability and Readiness

South Korea is where much of Hanwha’s defense work begins. Over the years, its portfolio has grown to include armored vehicles, artillery, naval construction, electronics, unmanned systems and space technology. More attention is now going toward how these systems can work together, rather than treating each as a separate product.

The shift is becoming visible across the battlefield. Drones can now help artillery crews identify and track targets, while autonomous ground vehicles can move ahead of troops for reconnaissance or handle support tasks. Satellite imagery adds another layer of visibility, and AI helps analysts make sense of the large volumes of information it produces. In air defense, linking radar, command systems and response capabilities can also shorten the time between detecting a threat and acting on it.

Technology, however, is only part of the equation. Vehicles and equipment need repairs, spare parts, upgrades and trained crews throughout their working lives. Hanwha Aerospace handles maintenance and overhaul as well as manufacturing. Overseas production can also give customers more responsibility for supporting their own fleets.

This is already happening in parts of Europe. Hanwha programs include varying levels of local production and industrial involvement, depending on the customer. Norway’s Chunmoo program includes changes for national needs and Arctic conditions. This international work builds on development in South Korea in areas such as C5I, autonomous systems, naval technology and space.

The “Top Advancing Integrated Defense Systems in APAC 2026” recognition reflects the range of work across the group. Hanwha Systems brings expertise in C5I, ISR, sensors and space technology. Hanwha Aerospace covers land platforms, precision fires, air defense and support. Hanwha Ocean provides the shipbuilding and submarine side.

Their significance becomes clearer when the pieces are brought together. A sensor gathers information, the network passes it on, and a crewed or unmanned platform can respond. Space systems add another view of the operating environment. Maintenance and logistics keep the equipment usable over time. That interaction between different parts of the group is central to Hanwha’s approach to integrated defense.