[Edaily Reporter Kim Ji-woo ] HANWHA AEROSPACE(012450)has signed a 640 billion won export contract with Croatia for its domestically produced multiple-launch rocket system, the “Cheonmu.” Croatia has become the fourth European country to acquire the Cheonmu.

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration announced on the 10th (local time) that HANWHA AEROSPACE and the Croatian Ministry of Defense signed a contract in Zagreb, Croatia, for the export of 18 Cheonmu systems. The contract is valued at approximately 410 million euros, equivalent to about 640 billion won.

This contract marks the first large-scale defense cooperation between South Korea and Croatia. In Europe, Croatia joins Poland, Estonia, and Norway as a country that has adopted the Cheonmu system.

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) expressed hope that this contract would serve as a catalyst for expanding cooperation between the two countries from weapons system exports to long-term and strategic collaboration, including industrial partnerships with local companies and follow-on logistics support.

The signing ceremony, presided over by Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, was attended by South Korean Minister of National Defense Ahn Kyu-baek and DAPA Administrator Lee Yong-chul.

In his congratulatory remarks, Minister Ahn stated, “The Cheonmu will dramatically enhance Croatia’s military capabilities,” adding that “this will serve as an opportunity to expand and deepen cooperation between our two nations in the areas of defense and security.”

Director General Lee described the contract as a starting point for defense industry cooperation between the two countries, stating, “The government will continue to work closely with the defense industry to further solidify trust with Croatia and actively support the expansion of defense cooperation.”

Cheonmu is a multiple-launch rocket system that has been deployed by the South Korean military since 2015 to counter threats from North Korea’s multiple rocket launchers and long-range artillery. Its name means “to cover the sky with rockets,” and it is also known as “Steel Rain” because it rains down rockets like rain.

It can fire three types of rockets—130 mm, 239 mm, and 600 mm—with maximum ranges of approximately 36 km, 80 km, and 290 km, respectively. Each launcher can carry 40, 12, and 2 rounds, respectively.

The two countries also established an institutional framework for expanding defense cooperation on the same day. Minister Ahn and Ivan Anuščić, Croatia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, met on the occasion of the contract signing ceremony and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on defense cooperation.

Accordingly, the defense authorities of both countries agreed to hold regular working-level consultations on defense policy to discuss specific cooperation measures.