BAE Systems purchases South Korean charge system for 155mm guns

South Korean Soldiers in the 631st Field Artillery Battalion, 26th Mechanized Infantry Division Artillery, coordinate fires from a battery of six K9 Thunder 155 mm self-propelled howitzers May 10, in a joint artillery exercise with Soldiers from the U.S. Army 1st Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Dasol Choi, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs, 1st Cav. Div.)

South Korean defense giant Hanwha Aerospace has announced securing a contract from BAE Systems, Britain’s largest defense company, for a modular charge system designed for 155mm guns.

This strategic partnership responds to the soaring demand for 155mm artillery shells, amplifying the importance of the recently inked contract to supply the Modular Charge System (MCS), valued at KRW 175.9 billion ($135 million), in collaboration with BAE Systems, a significant entity in the global defense sector.

The cylindrical Modular Charge System (MCS) plays a critical role as the propelling component behind artillery shells, detonating with immense force to project the warhead to a designated range outside the cannon.

Hanwha, in a press release, highlighted its proactive measures since 2019 to develop the propulsion system, anticipating heightened demand among NATO member countries amid Europe’s evolving geopolitical dynamics. Successfully meeting NATO’s range criteria earlier this year, the export-oriented MCS is engineered to withstand the impact of self-propelled howitzers’ automatic supply mechanism, ensuring optimal performance.

Moreover, in parallel with the UK’s advancement in Mobile Fires Platform (MFP) procurement, the potential selection of K9A2 could offer an export package opportunity, facilitating the simultaneous supply of MCS.

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