Hanwha Aerospace’s K9 Howitzer (right) (Hanwha Aerospace) Hanwha Aerospace is partnering with a defense company from the United Arab Emirates to pursue local production of its K9 self-propelled howitzer, strengthening its presence in the Middle East defense market.The company said Wednesday that it signed a memorandum of understanding with Generation 5 Holding, a UAE-based defense and technology firm, during the Eurosatory 2026 defense exhibition held in Paris last week.Under the agreement, the two parties will collaborate to start production of the K9 155-millimeter self-propelled howitzer in the Middle East.The K9, which has an operational range of more than 40 kilometers, is currently deployed in 10 countries across four continents: South Korea, India, Australia, Turkey, Poland, Finland, Norway, Estonia, Romania and Egypt.Hanwha Aerospace plans to broaden its customer base in the Middle East through local manufacturing, maintenance and repair services and expanded technology cooperation, further strengthening its position in one of the world’s fastest-growing defense market.Last year, Hanwha Aerospace established a regional headquarters in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as a new strategic hub overseeing its existing operations across major markets, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt.Leveraging the integrated defense portfolio spanning land, sea, air and space from Hanwha Aerospace, Hanwha Systems and Hanwha Ocean, the headquarters is expected to expand its footing across the Middle East and North Africa region.