Former ROK-US Combined Forces Command Commander Found at Hanwha Aero: "K9 and K10 Are Essential for the US Military"

"Strengthening the ROK-US Alliance through ROK-US Defense Industry Cooperation"

Hanwha Aerospace announced on the 5th that three former Combined Forces Command (CFC) commanders visited the Changwon 3 plant in Changwon-si, Gyeongnam, on the 1st to tour the K9 self-propelled howitzer production line.

The three retired U.S. Army generals who previously served as CFC commanders?Walter Sharp (2008?2011), Curtis Scaparrotti (2013?2016, 2016?2019), and Robert Abrams (2018?2021)?inspected the production lines for the K9, K10, and self-propelled bridging equipment.

Walter Sharp, former commander (fourth from the left), Curtis Scaparrotti, former commander (fourth from the right), Robert Abrams, former commander (second from the right), and other former ROK-US Combined Forces Command commanders, along with Shin Hyun-woo, president of Hanwha Aerospace (fifth from the left), and Lim Ho-young, chairman of the Korea-US Alliance Foundation (seventh from the left), are posing together for a commemorative photo at Hanwha Aerospace's Changwon 3 Plant in Gyeongnam. (Provided by Hanwha Aerospace)

As the U.S. military is pursuing the acquisition of self-propelled howitzers overseas, they emphasized that "the K9 and the ammunition resupply vehicle K10 are essential capabilities for the U.S. military."

Commander Sharp stated, "Hanwha Aerospace’s weapon systems are world-class," adding, "If these systems become operational in the U.S. military, it will further strengthen the ROK-U.S. alliance through defense cooperation."

Commander Abrams said, "During my tenure as CFC commander, I experienced firsthand the operational status of these weapon systems in the ROK military," emphasizing, "Safe and rapid ammunition loading on the battlefield is critical, and the ammunition resupply vehicle can be a game changer for the U.S. military."

Also accompanying them were Lim Ho-young, chairman of the ROK-U.S. Alliance Foundation (former deputy commander of the CFC), Kim Jong-wook, director, and Shin Kyung-soo, secretary general. The ROK-U.S. Alliance Foundation and the Korean Veterans Association of the United States Forces Korea (chairman: former commander Scaparrotti) established the ROK-U.S. Alliance Award this year to recognize individuals or companies who have contributed to the alliance and national security, selecting Hanwha as the inaugural recipient.

Shin Hyun-woo, CEO of Hanwha Aerospace, stated, "The ROK-U.S. alliance is the cornerstone that has made today’s Republic of Korea possible, and we will do our utmost to strengthen the alliance through defense cooperation."