Military

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  $4.29 billion earmarked for production of homemade light-armed helicopters by 2031 SEOUL -- A military program to produce homemade light-armed helicopters developed by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), the sole aircraft maker in South Korea, got approval with an injection of 5.75 trillion won ($4.29 billion) for nine years by 2031. The program is aimed at replacing an aging fleet of light helicopters such as MD500s and AH-1S Cobra. The green light came at a meeting chaired by Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administr 2022-11-28
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  LIG Nex1 leads military project to develop jammer capable of neutralzing N. Korean drones SEOUL -- LIG Nex1 was selected for a military project to develop a jammer capable of disturbing control signals of North Korean drones and getting them off course or into a crash in a "soft kill" manner when they fly into South Korean airspace across the heavily guarded inter-Korean border. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), an arms procurement agency controlled by the defense ministry, embarked on a project that costs about 24.4 billion won ($18 millio 2022-11-22
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  ​ADD partners with technology finance support institution to help defense technology companies SEOUL -- South Korea's defense technology development agency has partnered with a state-operated credit guarantee finance support institute to help technology companies suffering from heavy interest burdens due to global interest rate hikes. The Korea Technology Finance Corporation (KOTEC) is a finance support institute that evaluates the value of technology owned by an individual person or small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) based on a credit guarantee system. When its eva 2022-11-18
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  LIG Nex1 selected to develop protoype of interceptor missile for dome-shaped air defense shield SEOUL -- LIG Nex1, a defense contractor in South Korea, was selected for a deal to deliver the prototype of an interceptor missile, marking the official beginning of a much-heralded military program to develop a dome-shaped air defense shield that intercepts North Korea's long-range artillery shells. The contract worth about 11.3 billion won ($8.5 million) is part of a research and development project that "integrates the prototype of a long-range artillery interception sy 2022-11-16
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  Hanwha Systems secures deal to deliver prototype of radar for dome-shaped air defense system SEOUL -- Hanwha Systems, a key defense contractor affiliated with South Korea's Hanwha Group, has secured a deal from a state defense technology development agency to deliver the prototype of a radar for a dome-shaped air defense system that intercepts North Korea's long-range artillery shells and cruise missiles sneaking across the tightly guarded inter-Korean border. In a regulatory filing on November 15, Hanwha Systems said it has signed a contract worth 51.2 billion won 2022-11-15
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  Poongsan's military ammunition gains attention due to war in Ukraine SEOUL -- Poongsan Corp., a producer of fabricated non-ferrous metal products and military ammunition in South Korea, has been a hermitic company with little publicity. However, its defense business gained unexpected attention due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The company has produced almost all kinds of ammunition used in the military. Poongsan has secured its exclusive position in South Korea's military ammunition market since it jumped into the production of bullets 2022-11-11
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  Norway signs option contract with Hanwha Aerospace to purchase four more K9 self-propelled howitzers SEOUL -- Norway has signed an option contract with South Korea's Hanwha Aerospace to purchase four more K9 self-propelled howitzers and eight ammunition resupply vehicles for delivery over the next two years. As the northernmost NATO member in Europe, the Nordic country sharing a land border with Russia has increased its defense budget to compensate for the shipment of howitzers and other military equipment to Ukraine. Hanwha Aerospace said that the latest contract signed on N 2022-11-08
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  Hanwha Systems clinches contract to provide thermal optic aiming devices for K15 light machine guns SEOUL -- Hanwha Systems, a key defense contractor affiliated with South Korea's Hanwha Group, has clinched an arms contract worth about 160 billion won ($113 million) to provide thermal optic aiming devices for K15 light machine guns. It is equipped with telescope sight so that users can quickly aim and shoot day and night. Under a contract with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), a state arms procurement body controlled by the defense ministry, Hanwha Systems 2022-11-02
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  Development of unmanned infantry search vehicle begins for mass production SEOUL -- South Korea's state defense technology development agency embarked on a military project to complete the development of an unmanned search vehicle for mass production and deployment in mechanized infantry divisions and armored brigades to perform various front-line missions such as search, reconnaissance and vigilance. The project that requires 28.4 billion won ($91 million) by September 2026 is aimed at developing core infantry equipment for the future battlefield, 2022-11-02
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  KAI clinches new deal to produce attack helicopters for marine force SEOUL -- Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), the sole aircraft maker in South Korea, has clinched a deal worth about 430 billion won ($303 million) from a state arms procurement agency to convert a homemade landing helicopter for marine troops into an attack helicopter armed with air-to-air guided missiles, a turret-type machine gun, rockets, and air-to-ground guided missiles. Three prototypes will be made for 46 months, using Marineon, the amphibious variant of South Korea's hom 2022-10-28
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  LIG Nex1 selected as preferred bidder to develop new shipborne electronic warfare system SEOUL -- LIG Nex1 has been selected as a preferred bidder for South Korea's military project to develop a next-generation shipborne electronic warfare system with an improved ability to respond to electromagnetic waves. The system can identify enemy electromagnetic activity early, perform electron attacks at a greater distance, and improve the viability and attack ability of warships. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) aims to develop a system that can detect 2022-10-25
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  ADD acquires acoustic sensing technology for unmanned submersible systems SEOUL -- South Korea's state defense technology development agency has developed acoustic sensing technology for unmanned submersible systems that can perform underwater monitoring, reconnaissance, and anti-submarine missions. Acoustic sensing can emulate a variety of signal-specific sensors by recovering the different types of sensor information directly from the sound. In a five-year study that began in 2017, the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) said it has produced a prot 2022-10-25
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  [FOCUS] Russia deserves gratitude for arousing new orders for S. Korean weapons SEOUL -- Russia deserves gratitude from South Korean defense companies for providing a rare opportunity to acquire core technologies for advanced military equipment such as missiles and enhance the brand power of their products as seen in lucrative arms deals with Poland, which opted for the quick introduction of alternative weapons to fill up equipment shortages caused by the transfer of munitions to Ukraine and the delayed arrival of U.S. systems. Self-esteem grew among South Kore 2022-10-21
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  First batch of S. Korean tanks and howitzers rolled out for delivery to Poland SEOUL -- The first batch of South Korean tanks and self-propelled howitzers was rolled out for delivery to Poland, just two months after the European country concluded an arms deal on the quick introduction of foreign weapons to fill up equipment shortages caused by the support of crucial munitions to Ukraine. Poland has signed basic deals with South Korea to acquire FA-50 light attack fighters, K2 tanks and K9 self-propelled howitzers. Hanwha Defense and Hyundai Rotem held separate 2022-10-19
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  Hanwha Defense's multi-purpose unmanned ground vehicle chosen for U.S. performance tests SEOUL -- An advanced multi-purpose unmanned ground vehicle developed by Hanwha Defense, a South Korean defense company known for K9 self-propelled howitzers and infantry fighting vehicles, has been chosen for performance tests in the United States, paving the way for potential cooperation with the U.S. military’s future modernization programs. This is the first time that a South Korean unmanned weapon system has joined the U.S. Army’s competitive field test and evaluat 2022-10-11
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  Deployment of advanced maritime surveillance radar set to begin in 2025 SEOUL -- The prototyping of a homemade maritime surveillance radar with significantly improved detection performance is set to begin for sequential deployment in 2025. It is essential for the offshore surveillance of ships in coastal areas and for sharing detected information with a military system. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), a state body controlled by the defense ministry, aims to complete system development through evaluations by June 2024. Defense Mini 2022-10-07
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  ​Airbus Helicopters partners with Korean Air to develop unmanned surveillance military helicopter SEOUL -- South Korea's top flag carrier Korean Air has partnered with the helicopter manufacturing division of Airbus to develop an unmanned surveillance military helicopter that can be used by warships to monitor operational areas or patrol frontline islands near the volatile inter-Korean maritime border in the Yellow Sea. Because the 1950-53 Korean conflict ended with a ceasefire rather than a treaty, the two Koreas remain technically at war. The maritime border in the Yello 2022-10-06
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  Norway's Kongsberg partners with Hyundai Rotem to develop unmanned turrets and drone protection systems for next-generation tanks SEOUL -- Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (KDA), a Norwegian supplier of defense and space-related systems and products, has established a strategic partnership with Hyundai Rotem, the producer of South Korea's main battle tank, K2 Black Panther, to develop unmanned turrets and drone protection systems to be installed in next-generation tanks and wheel-type armored vehicles. KDA products such as digital integrated systems would be applied to Hyundai Rotem's K2 tanks and K 2022-09-28
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  ADD develops atomic spin gyroscope technology for navigation devices in weapons systems SEOUL -- South Korea's defense technology development agency has developed an atomic spin gyroscope that can be used for navigation devices in weapon systems. The prototype is a 350cc ice cream pint cup, but researchers aim to produce a micro-sized gyroscope with a volume of 50cc or less through additional technology improvement. A spinning wheel or disc known as gyroscope is a key element in controlled-moving systems, such as guided missiles, navigation, and altitude systems. 2022-09-27
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  Homemade Cheongeom anti-tanks missile on display at defense exhibition SEOUL -- Cheongeom, a homemade air-to-ground guided missile that would replace TOW anti-tank missiles, has been displayed at a defense exhibition in western Seoul, along with a light-armed helicopter that will be deployed for combat missions in 2023. The missile is equipped with a visual and infrared dual mode seeker for day-and-night operations. Cheongeom, also known as TAipers, adopted a tandem warhead capable of breaking explosive reactive armor and LIG NEX1's seeker. When 2022-09-22