Variant 1
Hanwha Aerospace has commenced construction of a European production hub in Romania dedicated to manufacturing K9 self-propelled howitzers and K10 ammunition resupply vehicles.
The new complex, designated H-ACE (Hanwha Armoured Vehicle Centre of Excellence) Europe, will be built in Petrești. Spanning approximately 181,000 square meters (1.9 million square feet), the site will include modern assembly lines, testing and validation facilities, and a 1,751-meter (5,744-foot) vehicle test track.
Hanwha intends to deliver comprehensive life-cycle support at the facility, covering assembly, integration, testing, maintenance, repair, and overhaul. The company aims to achieve up to 80 percent local production through partnerships with Romanian industry.
The development follows a 2024 contract under which Romania ordered 54 K9 howitzers and 36 K10 resupply vehicles. Beyond fulfilling this order, Hanwha plans to broaden its European presence by expanding into infantry fighting vehicles, long-range precision strike systems, and unmanned ground vehicles, while incorporating more than 30 Romanian firms into its global supply chain.
Romania has increasingly become a destination for defense manufacturing investments. In 2022, Germany’s Rheinmetall opened a facility near Bucharest to assemble K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzers for the Romanian armed forces, with integration and sustainment capabilities to support vehicles throughout their service life.
In 2023, Elbit Systems partnered with the state-owned Romarm to establish an artillery production facility focused on the transfer of technology for 155mm ATMOS advanced mobile howitzers. The project is intended to strengthen sovereign artillery manufacturing, create jobs, and position Romania as a regional center for artillery production.
Variant 2
Hanwha Aerospace has broken ground on a new European manufacturing center in Romania that will produce K9 self-propelled artillery systems and K10 ammunition resupply vehicles.
The facility, known as H-ACE (Hanwha Armoured Vehicle Centre of Excellence) Europe, will be located in Petrești and span around 181,000 square meters (1.9 million square feet). It will house advanced production lines, testing and validation infrastructure, and a 1,751-meter (5,744-foot) driving test course.
The company plans to provide end-to-end life-cycle services at the site, including system assembly, integration, testing, maintenance, repair, and overhaul. Through collaboration with Romanian industry, Hanwha aims to localize up to 80 percent of production.
Construction of the hub follows Romania’s 2024 procurement of 54 K9 howitzers and 36 K10 vehicles. Hanwha also intends to leverage the facility to expand further into European markets, develop additional platforms such as infantry fighting vehicles, long-range strike systems, and unmanned ground vehicles, and integrate over 30 Romanian companies into its international supply network.
Romania’s defense sector has drawn growing foreign investment in recent years. In 2022, Rheinmetall established a plant near Bucharest to assemble K9 Thunder systems, equipped with integration and sustainment capabilities to support the fleet across its lifecycle.
A year later, Elbit Systems partnered with state-owned Romarm to set up a facility for producing and integrating 155mm ATMOS mobile howitzers, enabling technology transfer and strengthening domestic artillery manufacturing. The initiative is expected to support job creation and reinforce Romania’s ambition to become a regional artillery production hub.
