South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace Co. has completed its first overseas manufacturing plant in Geelong, Victoria, Australia, marking a significant step in its global expansion. The facility, known as H-ACE, will produce and assemble defense equipment, including AS9 self-propelled howitzers and AS10 ammunition resupply vehicles, which are tailored versions of Hanwha’s K9 and K10 models for the Australian market. Mass production is set to begin later this year.
Hanwha Aerospace plans to deliver 30 AS9 howitzers and 15 AS10 vehicles to the Australian army by 2027. The company will also supply prototypes of its Redback infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) to Australia by 2026, with mass production to follow, as part of a deal to provide 129 Redback IFVs signed in December.
The Geelong plant will serve as Hanwha’s manufacturing hub for defense products in Australia and its allies, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region. As geopolitical tensions rise, Hanwha aims to leverage the facility to enhance its presence within the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, which includes Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, and the US.
The plant is expected to create hundreds of jobs and boost the local economy while increasing South Korean exports of key components to Australia. High-ranking officials from both countries attended the opening ceremony, underscoring the strategic importance of the new facility.
