Named Hanwha Armoured Vehicle Centre of Excellence (H-ACE) Europe, the facility represents the South Korean company's first European production platform and will form the pillar of a long-term strategic partnership with Romania. "The project supports Romania's ambition to become a European defence production hub and contributes to NATO and European Union security objectives," Hanwha Aerospace said.

Located in Petrești, the factory will cover over 180,000 sqm and include modern assembly lines, performance testing and validation facilities, a 1,751-metre testing range, and dedicated research and development laboratories supporting the entire lifecycle of ground systems from development and production to maintenance. "Today's groundbreaking represents more than building a production facility. It's the foundation for transforming Hanwha Aerospace Romania into a truly Romanian defence company and a strategic hub for long-term defence cooperation between our countries," said Hanwha Aerospace President and CEO Jae-il Son.

In the first phase, H-ACE Europe will support local production of the K9 self-propelled howitzer and K10 ammunition resupply vehicle, providing assembly, integration, testing and lifecycle support capabilities. The company aims to achieve up to 80% localisation through Romanian industry involvement.