According to Yonhap News,

SEOUL, March 13 (Yonhap) -- Hanwha Aerospace Co., South Korea's leading defense company, said Friday it has expanded its plant in Australia and begun production of the Redback infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) for the Australian Army.

The company built the first phase of the Hanwha Armoured Vehicle Center of Excellence (H-ACE) in Geelong in 2024 to produce K9 self-propelled howitzers and K10 armored ammunition resupply vehicles.

Over the past 12 months, the 32,000-square-meter site has been expanded to support the production of 129 IFVs. The expansion comes two years after Hanwha Aerospace signed the IFV contract with the Australian government in late 2023, the company said in a press release.

Hanwha has invested a cumulative 237.1 billion won (US$159 million) in the Australian facility, which can accommodate more than 250 employees. The site includes a 1.2-kilometer test track with incline and deep-water testing facilities, as well as workshops, a systems integration laboratory and a paint shop.

The company said the expanded plant will contribute to the local defense industry ecosystem while serving as a key production hub for ground defense equipment in the Indo-Pacific region.

"The completed facility is a strategic asset not only for Australia and South Korea but also for the wider region in terms of production, and future maintenance, repair, overhaul and upgrade work, as well as additional opportunities," a company official said.

kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr



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Source: Yonhap News (March 13, 2026)