Croatia to Purchase 18 Chunmoo K239 Rocket System for €435 Million

The Croatian government plans to purchase 18 South Korean Chunmoo K239 multiple rocket launcher systems along with rockets.

The Croatian government’s website published the agenda for a government meeting, which includes the proposed purchase of these launchers.

The contract will be worth €435.2 million excluding VAT, according to Jutarnji list. Croatian troops will receive rockets with a range of 30 to 300 km.

Following the government’s decision, the contract with South Korean manufacturer Hanwha Aerospace is expected to be signed by the Minister of Defence of Croatia. A separate agreement will be signed with Poland’s WB Group, which will install its Topaz command-and-control system on the launchers.

According to available information, 85% of the ordered systems will be delivered as early as 2028. Payments under the contract will be made between 2026 and 2029.

The Chunmoo K239 is set to replace the outdated 122 mm Vulkan M92 and BM-21 Grad rocket systems. These units are more than 30 years old on average and have a range of around 20 km.

The main advantage of the Chunmoo is its modularity. The system can simultaneously use rockets of different calibers, housed in two separate containers on a single launcher. According to Jutarnji list, it is the only operational wheeled self-propelled multiple rocket launcher system with this capability.

This allows the commander to select the type of ammunition based on the mission without modifying the launcher or containers. For example, one container can accommodate four 280 mm rockets, while the other can carry six 239 mm guided rockets.

The Chunmoo can also fire the 600 mm CTM-290 ballistic missile with a range of more than 300 km. However, the number of missiles with this range that Croatia will receive has not been disclosed.

Croatia has already purchased eight HIMARS systems and 394 rockets from the United States, with a range of up to 80 km. However, due to U.S. export restrictions on longer-range rockets, Zagreb has turned its attention to the Chunmoo. Compared with HIMARS, the South Korean system also offers greater firepower — it can carry up to twelve 239 mm rockets, while HIMARS uses a single pod with six rockets.

Croatia’s decision was also influenced by the strengthening of neighboring Serbia’s long-range strike capabilities. In particular, Belgrade is purchasing Israeli PULS rocket systems and other long-range weapons.

“As a state, we must somehow counter it by arming ourselves with something similar,” Croatian President Zoran Milanović stated previously.

According to the publication, following the purchase of Rafale fighter jets, this will be one of Croatia’s most significant defense deals since the end of the Croatian War of Independence in 1995.