Hanwha Aerospace and Korea Aerospace Industries have agreed to cooperate on a domestically developed long-range air-to-air missile and its integration with South Korea’s KF-21 fighter jet, the companies said Wednesday.
Under the agreement, the companies will work together on the missile’s development and support its integration with the KF-21 once development is complete. The effort is intended to enable the South Korean fighter to operate with a domestically produced weapon.
The agreement builds on two partnerships formed in February. The companies initially agreed to cooperate on overseas marketing for Korean aircraft and to share supplier networks, Hanwha said. They later signed a separate deal at the World Defense Show in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia covering aircraft-weapons integration and joint export marketing.
KAI manufactures the KF-21, while Hanwha companies supply several of its major systems. Hanwha Aerospace provides the engines, landing gear and flight-control equipment. Affiliate Hanwha Systems supplies the radar, targeting equipment and mission computer.
Hanwha Aerospace has also been developing technology for a long-range air-to-air missile. It is participating in a government-led project to develop aircraft-to-missile interface design technology by the first half of next year. Since 2021, it has worked on five of six research projects involving solid-fuel ducted ramjet propulsion, a technology intended for the missile.
“We will devote companywide efforts to the successful domestic development of the long-range air-to-air missile,” a Hanwha Aerospace official said.
The cooperation comes as Hanwha seeks a role in South Korea’s 1.9 trillion won ($1.4 billion) missile development program. The Agency for Defense Development is expected to select a contractor by year-end, with a team formed by Hyundai Rotem and LIG Defense & Aerospace also competing. Development is scheduled to finish by November 2033, followed by mass production from 2035.
herim@heraldcorp.com
