Hanwha Aerospace has partnered with Estonia-based Milrem Robotics to jointly compete for Romania’s unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) procurement program.
The agreement, signed during the BSDA 2026 defense exhibition in Bucharest, also includes Hanwha Aerospace’s Romanian subsidiary, which is expected to serve as the prime contractor should the project advance.
The collaboration is aligned with Romania’s focus on domestic industrial participation, with local production and system integration expected to involve Romanian defense manufacturing capabilities.
Hanwha’s proposed solution combines both wheeled and tracked robotic systems tailored for multiple battlefield missions.
The South Korean company plans to offer the Arion-SMET autonomous logistics vehicle alongside the larger GRUNT platform, a 6×6 unmanned system designed for cargo transport, modular payload integration, and long-range operational support.
Milrem Robotics would contribute its THeMIS tracked UGV, a hybrid-powered platform already used in several military programs for logistics, reconnaissance, and remote support missions.
Live Manned-Unmanned Teaming Demonstration
Prior to the exhibition, Hanwha and Milrem conducted a live manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) demonstration near Bucharest to highlight the operational capabilities of the integrated systems.
The exercise featured Hanwha’s TIGON armored vehicle operating alongside the GRUNT unmanned platform and Milrem’s THeMIS Cargo system.
The demonstration included reconnaissance and surveillance missions, battlefield resupply operations, casualty evacuation scenarios, and drone-enabled situational awareness under simulated electronic warfare conditions.
Expanding Presence in Europe
The Romanian UGV initiative forms part of Hanwha Aerospace’s broader strategy to expand its footprint across the European defense sector.
Earlier this month, Estonia finalized a follow-on order for three additional K239 Chunmoo multiple launch rocket systems, expanding a previous 290-million-euro ($340 million) agreement signed last year.
Separately, in March, Hanwha Ocean entered a strategic teaming partnership with ONEX Shipyards & Technologies Group to pursue programs supporting the Hellenic Armed Forces, including naval, coast guard, and potential submarine projects.
