How Korea Beat Germany (After Germany Already Won)

Описание: How Korea Beat Germany (After Germany Already Won)

In July 2023, Australia shocked the defense world by choosing South Korea's Hanwha Redback over Germany's Rheinmetall Lynx for a $4 billion infantry fighting vehicle contract. What made this decision stunning? Rheinmetall had already won the previous LAND 400 Phase 2 contract for Boxer vehicles, had existing production facilities in Australia, and seemed like the safe choice.
But Korea won anyway.
Hanwha had zero prior contracts with Australia. They were the complete outsider. Yet they beat Germany's incumbent advantage through a vehicle specifically designed for Australian requirements, higher protection levels, comprehensive technology transfer, and a genuine partnership approach that made Australia a co-producer, not just a customer.
This follows a pattern: Poland chose 1,000 Korean K2 tanks over German Leopards. Norway selected Korean Chunmoo over German rocket systems. Romania is buying Korean K9 howitzers. Now Australia picks Korean IFVs over the company that already won their trust.
The Redback story shows how Korea is systematically challenging Germany's dominance in Western defense markets—not through price undercutting, but through faster development, better technology sharing, and actually listening to what customers need. Germany had every advantage and still lost.
129 Redback vehicles will enter Australian service starting 2027, manufactured at a new Hanwha facility in Geelong. The underdog won. And the defense industry is watching.