Estonia signs deal to purchase South Korean rocket artillery system

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - Estonia has signed a $341-million contract to purchase six South Korean-made K239 Chunmoo self-propelled multiple launch rocket systems, according to media reports on Monday.

As part of the deal, which was signed on Sunday, South Korean defense company Hanwha will also make investments in Estonia's defense industry, expected to bring in some $50-60 million to Estonia over the next decade.

K239 Chunmoo multiple rocket launcher systems are expected to arrive in Estonia within two years, with the deal also including operational and training support, Estonian public broadcaster ERR reported.

The €290-million ($341-million) deal followed the Defense Ministry’s announcement in October that it planned to acquire Chunmoo rocket launchers to enhance deep-strike capabilities, giving Estonia the ability to hit targets deep inside an adversary’s territory.

South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back and his Estonian counterpart Hanno Pevkur signed a memorandum of understanding in Seoul on Oct. 23 regarding Estonia’s procurement of the rocket artillery system.

"We already have a deep-strike capability in the form of HIMARS, but creating a second complementary system is extremely necessary," said Pevkur.