Hanwha Aerospace has entered into a partnership with Estonia’s Milrem Robotics to pursue Romania’s upcoming unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) requirement.
The agreement was formalized during the BSDA 2026 defense exhibition in Bucharest and includes Hanwha Aerospace’s Romanian branch, which is expected to take the lead contractor role if the bid progresses.
The partnership reflects Romania’s priority on local industrial involvement, with manufacturing and integration work anticipated to include participation from the country’s domestic defense industry.
Hanwha’s proposal combines multiple robotic vehicle types designed to support different operational requirements on the battlefield.
The company plans to offer its Arion-SMET autonomous logistics system together with the GRUNT unmanned 6×6 platform, which is intended for cargo movement, modular payload operations, and long-range support missions.
Milrem Robotics will contribute the THeMIS tracked UGV, a hybrid-powered unmanned platform already employed in several defense programs for reconnaissance, logistics, and remote operational support.
Combat Support Demonstration Near Bucharest
Ahead of BSDA 2026, Hanwha and Milrem carried out a live manned-unmanned teaming demonstration near Bucharest to showcase the operational integration of their platforms.
The event featured Hanwha’s TIGON armored vehicle working alongside the GRUNT unmanned system and the THeMIS Cargo platform from Milrem.
The scenario covered surveillance and reconnaissance operations, combat resupply missions, casualty evacuation, and drone-supported battlefield awareness while operating in simulated contested electronic warfare environments.
Broader European Expansion Strategy
The Romanian UGV effort is part of Hanwha’s wider campaign to strengthen its position within Europe’s growing defense market.
Earlier this month, Estonia expanded its existing contract for the K239 Chunmoo multiple launch rocket system by ordering three additional units under a deal originally valued at 290 million euros ($340 million).
In another recent move, Hanwha Ocean signed a strategic partnership agreement with ONEX Shipyards & Technologies Group in March to jointly pursue naval, coast guard, and possible submarine programs for the Hellenic Armed Forces.
