At ADEX 2025, held in Seoul, South Korea, from October 17 to 24, 2025, Hanwha Aerospace unveiled its High-Power Multiple Rocket Launcher (HPMRL) system for the Republic of Korea Marine Corps for the first time.
The High-Performance Multiple Rocket Launcher (HPMRL) system is designed to provide rapid fire-support mobility from amphibious landings to deep inland operations. It enables swift redeployment to assist friendly forces throughout the full spectrum of combat phases. Leveraging its optimized missile launch capability from the deck of large surface vessels and its lighter configuration compared to the K239 Chunmoo MLRS, the HPMRL enhances operational flexibility and responsiveness for the Republic of Korea Marine Corps.
According to Hanwha Aerospace officials at ADEX 2025, the HPMRL will primarily employ the CGR-080 missile (similar to the K239 Chunmoo) but is also designed to rapidly integrate and launch various tactical missile pods from the CTM series.
Weighing approximately 19 tons, the HPMRL is significantly lighter than the K239 Chunmoo MLRS, which exceeds 30 tons. This reduced weight makes it well-suited for deployment aboard landing craft and large amphibious assault ships.
Officials also noted that the lighter configuration allows the HPMRL to be transported by a C-130 aircraft, overcoming the air mobility challenges faced by previous systems such as the M270 MLRS and K239 MLRS. The latter, in particular, was too tall for air transport without removing its tires and wheels, a limitation the new system effectively resolves.
The High-Performance Multiple-Rocket Launcher System (HPMRL) rocket artillery system is a system designed to maximize the ROK military’s large-scale firepower warfare and landing operations. Picture from author.
The Hanwha Aerospace official further stated that international customers have shown strong interest in the K239 Chunmoo 2.0, 3.0, and the lightweight variant, known as the HPMRLS. The official highlighted that the HPMRLS stands out for its lightweight design, advanced power management system compared to the K239 Chunmoo MLRS, a stabilization control system capable of operating in Sea State 5 conditions, and a dual electric motor drive system.
In sea state classification, Sea State 5 represents rough sea conditions, under which conventional launch platforms typically struggle to fire accurately from ships. However, the HPMRLS is capable of sustained missile launches from the deck of a landing ship, actively mitigating vibration and roll in real time even in challenging maritime environments.
As previously reported during MADEX 2025, the HPMRLS can employ all munitions compatible with the K239 Chunmoo, with the CGR-080 missile as its primary weapon and the CTM-MR series as secondary options. The system is also designed to accommodate the full CTM family, ranging from the CTM-ASBM anti-ship ballistic missile to the long-range CTM-X, which reportedly offers a range of around 500 kilometers.
Also showcased at ADEX 2025 was the CTM-ASBM, a naval variant of the CTM-MR. The HPMRLS is configured to carry a single CTM missile pod which is capable of housing either four 280 mm CTM-MR or CTM-ASBM missiles, or one 600 mm CTM-290 or CTM-X tactical ballistic missile.
According to an interview with Hanwha Aerospace officials, the CTM-MR and CTM-ASBM have warhead weight and volume increased by more than 20 percent compared to the CGR-080, and the CTM-ASBM uses an IIR infrared imaging seeker, making it possible to strike ships.
The recently unveiled K239 Chunmoo 3.0 is key to striking the enemy by recognizing the enemy on its own with the L-PGW smart loitering munitions loaded on the CGR-080 and CTM-290 and exchanging real-time information with satellites and the user. It is said that the CTM-ASBM anti-ship ballistic missile can also use the real-time information transmitted by the L-PGW smart loitering munitions to perform efficient strikes and determine the results after the strike.
The official then mentioned the CTM-X, saying that it will dramatically increase the range of the CTM-290 tactical ballistic missile to around 500 km while maintaining the warhead power of the CTM-290 tactical ballistic missile at around 80 percent. This proves that the prediction that the warhead power of the CTM-X, which has a range of around 500 km, would be reduced to the level of the CTM-MR was wrong.
The actual HPMRLS launch vehicle currently revealed is 8.5 meters long, 2.6 meters wide, and 3.2 meters high.
With the completion of the high-performance multiple rocket launcher development program that ran until this year, full-scale vehicle development is scheduled to begin in 2030, which will likely necessitate some changes to the launch vehicle design.
Additionally, the Unmanned Multiple Rocket Launcher (UMRL), first unveiled at MADEX 2025, was also showcased at ADEX 2025. According to Hanwha Aerospace officials, full-scale development of the UMRL is expected to progress once the HPMRLS development program is completed. The UMRL initiative is currently incorporated into the Republic of Korea military’s long-term modernization plan, reflecting continued efforts to enhance autonomous and networked fire-support capabilities.
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