Estonia boosts air defense with powerful South Korean Chunmoo launchers
The systems will arrive in Estonia in 2027 (Photo: flick.com by Shane MacClure)
Estonia has signed a contract with the South Korean company Hanwha Aerospace to supply three additional Chunmoo multiple-launch missile systems. Thus, the total order has increased from six to nine units, according to ERR.
What Estonia purchased
The new contract has been concluded as a supplement to the initial agreement for six MLRS, signed at the end of 2025. The value of the original framework contract was 290 million euros — it provided for the delivery of six launchers, three types of missiles, and personnel training.
Hanwha Aerospace has committed to investing 20% of the contract value into Estonia's defense industry.
Capabilities of the system
Chunmoo is a modern, high-mobility multiple-launch rocket system mounted on an 8x8 wheeled chassis. The system can launch guided missiles with a range of up to 80 km, as well as CTM-290 long-range missiles that can strike targets up to 290 km away.
Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur called the agreement a significant strengthening of capabilities and emphasized that cooperation with South Korea goes beyond purely military matters.
The first Chunmoo systems are expected to arrive in Estonia in the second half of 2027.
In recent days, the situation in the airspace of the Baltic countries has become significantly more tense due to provocations by Russia. On the night of May 7, several Russian drones violated Latvia's border, and one of them crashed into an oil reservoir in the city of Rēzekne.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated that Russia is deliberately using electronic warfare means to deflect Ukrainian drones into the territory of NATO countries.
He emphasized that Ukraine and Latvia are in constant contact, and the competent authorities of both countries are exchanging data to clarify the circumstances. Kyiv has offered to help allies prevent such incidents.
