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‘Korea International Defense Industry Exhibition (KADEX)’ held for the first time this year
ADEX (Air Force), MADEX (Navy) and 3rd Army defense industry exhibition completed
The latest weapon systems are deployed… Interest in K defense industry increases due to war aftermath
A domestic defense industry exhibition with plenty of things to enjoy… Family viewing↑
As the once peaceful international situation cracks, our country’s defense industry companies are enjoying an untimely boom. Since 2022, when the war in Ukraine broke out, a rally in orders has continued, centered around Hanwha Aerospace and Hyundai Rotem, and has recently become visible in corporate performance. In particular, as the war prolongs, there seems to be a kind of sales effect that is increasing the status of K Defense Industries. Representative examples include Hanwha Aerospace’s K9 self-propelled howitzer and Hyundai Rotem K2, which are ranked among domestically produced ‘luxury weapons’ and are recognized for their competitiveness overseas. It is known that Hanwha’s mid-range surface-to-air guided missile Cheongung, known as the ‘Korean Patriot’, is in tight export volume. The government’s active export support for the K defense industry is also contributing to the boom of these companies. Thanks to this, overseas markets are expanding beyond Europe to the Middle East and Australia. It is expected that local production plants will be built in parts of Europe and Australia, strengthening local response and securing overseas bases that can be utilized in times of emergency.
![‘K Bangsan’ has become closer to our daily lives… Airspace defense system that catches drones, attention to K2 tank[동아리]](https://dimg.donga.com/wps/NEWS/IMAGE/2024/10/25/130295074.2.jpg "‘K Bangsan’ has become closer to our daily lives… Airspace defense system that catches drones, attention to K2 tank[동아리]")
Naturally, consumer interest in K defense products also grew. As stock prices also rose, interest grew further. In addition, the defense industry appears to have become closer to our daily lives due to North Korea’s continued dispersal of waste balloons, threats and propaganda against South Korea, and daily news of war in Ukraine and the Middle East. With the boom period, domestic defense companies are also actively participating in domestic and overseas exhibitions, and the frequency of exposure of K Defense products to the public is increasing.
If you go to a defense industry exhibition held in Korea, you can experience this atmosphere firsthand. The defense industry exhibition taking place these days is really hot. There are many visitors who appear to be domestic and foreign military officials. Each company’s exhibition hall has a lot to see. While viewing the exhibition hall, you can picture the future of our military equipped with cutting-edge equipment.
Army defense industry exhibition KADEX debuts at Gyeryongdae… ADEX and MADEX will be held next year
The ‘2024 Korea International Defense Industry Exhibition (KADEX)’ held at Gyeryongdae (runway) in South Chungcheong Province under a new name earlier this month was an opportunity to take a look at the success of K Defense Industry. We were also able to see the latest trends in modern warfare weapons being used in actual battlefields such as Ukraine and the Middle East. Not only defense companies but also food companies such as Dongwon F&B, Pulmuone, and Daesang set up booths to welcome visitors, and there was plenty of entertainment that children and people of all ages and genders could participate in. We also operate a riding program on practical military vehicles (including tanks and armored vehicles). We were able to get a glimpse of the expandability of defense industry exhibitions held in Korea.
KADEX is a new defense exhibition launched by the Army Association, which has hosted DX Korea for the past 10 years. Messe Issang, an exhibition specialist company, served as the organizer. As the name of the defense industry exhibition led by the Army Association was chosen as KADEX, the name of the defense industry exhibition representing the domestic Army, Navy, and Air Force, although the host organization is different, has gained a sense of unity. It consists of the Army-centered KADEX, the Air Force-centered ADEX (International Aerospace Defense Exhibition), which includes an air show, and the Navy-centered MADEX (International Maritime Defense Industry Exhibition). Each exhibition is held every other year. Next year, MADEX (May 28-31, 2025) and ADEX (October 29-November 2, 2025) are scheduled to be held.
Although KADEX, which has a new name, was held for the first time this year, it is said to be the largest defense industry exhibition ever in terms of scale and quality. 47 delegations from 26 countries, including Poland, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Vietnam, participated in the exhibition, and 365 companies from 15 countries operated 1,432 booths. It is said that over 30,000 defense industry officials (about 2,100 overseas buyers) visited and over 200 large and small purchase contracts and consultations were made. It was reported that the total number of visitors, including the general public, in connection with the Ground Forces Festival and Gyeryong-gun Cultural Festival was around 1.1 million. The defense exhibition has been reborn as a festival representing the region. The plan is to hold a larger defense industry exhibition in 2026.
K Defense Industry, equipped with all the latest war technology… “From self-destructing drones to airspace defense, next-generation tanks, and unmanned self-propelled artillery.”
KADEX is largely comprised of an external exhibition and experience center for military combat equipment (vehicles, tanks, helicopters, US combat vehicles, etc.) and an internal exhibition hall set up like a simple hangar. Some of the military vehicles and tanks displayed outside were allowed to be boarded and taken commemorative photos, and a separate program for riding practical equipment was also operated. The outdoor space where combat equipment is displayed and the experience center where you can experience wearing military uniforms and shooting were crowded with kindergarteners, students, and families from the first day of opening. There were also group visitors who visited for a security tour.
The KADEX exhibition hall, the main defense exhibition hall, was built with an area of 37,600㎡, similar to COEX in Seoul. Major domestic defense companies, including Hanwha Aerospace, Hanwha Ocean, Hanwha Systems, Hyundai Rotem, Kia, Hyundai Wia, Korean Air, LIG Nex1, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), and Poongsan, all set up booths. Foreign companies such as Lockheed Martin, Saab, and Saffron participated.
In particular, major defense technologies introduced by domestic companies attracted attention. Unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) and missile defense systems, which performed better than expected in actual battlefields such as Ukraine and the Middle East, seemed to be common technologies for Korean defense companies.
Hanwha presented a ‘multi-layer defense solution’ with a concept that surpasses the Israeli air defense system ‘Iron Dome’. The plan is to thoroughly defend Korea’s airspace with technology that can intercept not only ballistic missiles flying from various heights, but also drones, which are called game changers in modern warfare.
Hanwha Systems developed a medium- and long-range multi-function radar (MFR) that detects missile threats, a multi-target simultaneous engagement multi-function radar, Hanwha Aerospace’s medium- and long-range interceptor missiles, laser anti-aircraft weapons, rail-type drone launchers, mobile anti-drone systems, It is an air defense solution that combines an intelligent 40mm unmanned airspace system and is an air defense system that can defend against all threats below 10km altitude. A Hanwha official said, “It is a solution that can tightly intercept missiles that Israel’s Iron Dome cannot detect, and can even suppress attacks by drone units. We hope to see it deployed in combat as soon as possible.”
In addition, the ‘K9 manned and unmanned complex system’, which is being developed as the next-generation K9 self-propelled howitzer, was also introduced. It can be driven and operated remotely without a separate passenger, and its maximum range is doubled to 80km compared to the previous model. They also proposed a ‘wheeled K9 self-propelled howitzer’ that maximizes mobility by installing wheels instead of tracks. In addition, the ‘unmanned amphibious multiple launcher’ that can be mounted on a landing ship or transport ship through weight reduction, the latest ship Jang Bogo III for trench use and an unmanned power command and control ship, a 0.25m class small SAR satellite with the world’s highest resolution, a tactical 5G communication system, and next-generation The company introduced the ‘MOSS platform’, an integrated command, control and communication solution.
Hyundai Rotem, which set up a booth at the Hyundai Motor Group integrated exhibition hall, displayed the 4th generation version of the multi-purpose unmanned vehicle ‘HR-SHERPA’ as core equipment for the future combat system. It was developed in collaboration with Hyundai Motor Group as an electric unmanned vehicle incorporating the latest artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous driving technology. It is possible to perform a variety of missions on behalf of humans, such as surveillance, reconnaissance, combat, and transport of injured soldiers and supplies.
Quality and performance have been improved through more than 6 years of research and development from the first development prototype of the first generation to the fourth generation, and after being proposed to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration as next-generation military equipment, it has been actually used in a rapid pilot acquisition project since 2020. Hyundai Rotem explained that the completeness of mission performance was raised through optimization through feedback from our military’s actual combat.
Hyundai Rotem put the HR-Sherpa as the main character, but in fact, the equipment that attracted more attention was the improved performance K2 tank with enhanced occupant protection technology. It is a real concept based on the domestically deployed K2 tank with various specifications enhanced in line with modern battlefield trends. In particular, it is equipped with a jammer to prepare for drone attacks, allowing it to effectively neutralize incoming enemy drones. A drone jammer is a device that disrupts the normal operation of a drone or causes it to crash by disrupting radio waves. Passenger survivability was improved by adding an active protection device that can intercept anti-tank rockets and missiles.
Hyundai Wia, which set up an integrated booth with Hyundai Rotem, displayed a lightweight 105mm self-propelled howitzer and a vehicle-mounted 81mm mortar using Kia’s compact tactical vehicle, called the ‘Korean Humvee’. Hyundai Wia explained that the lightweight 105mm self-propelled howitzer is a device that improves the operational efficiency of the existing towed 105mm self-propelled howitzer, reducing weight while supplementing the automatic fire control system. It was reported that the number of troops operating the self-propelled gun was reduced from 6 to 4, and the rate of fire was maintained at a maximum of 10 rounds per minute, similar to the existing 105mm howitzer, and the maximum range was maintained at 14.7km. Currently, the first system integration shooting test has been successfully completed, and military usability evaluation through military pilot operation is scheduled to begin in December. The vehicle-mounted 81mm mortar is characterized by being built for quick operation. By adopting an automatic heat dissipation method, the heat dissipation time was drastically reduced from 5 minutes to 10 seconds, and the number of operating personnel was also reduced from 5 to 3.
Kia exhibited a 5-ton next-generation medium-sized standard vehicle that can replace the existing Dudonvan and 5-ton trucks, a hydrogen ATV powered by hydrogen fuel cells, and three types of small tactical vehicles.
Korean Air recently unveiled the actual small-scale self-destruct drone ‘KUS LM’ in line with battlefield trends. It is a disposable drone that can be operated by flying towards the enemy from a multiple launch vehicle and striking the target, and has a simple design like a paper airplane. In addition, a medium-altitude unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with a high-performance sensor and capable of continuously monitoring the skies over the Korean Peninsula for 20 hours at an altitude of 10 to 13 km, an AI cooperative unmanned aerial vehicle system, a low-observable unmanned formation aircraft, and a vertical takeoff and landing unmanned aerial vehicle were displayed.
In addition, you can touch and experience a variety of equipment not easily seen in everyday life, such as sniper rifles that can be seen in movies or games, pistols of various sizes, and high-performance armor-piercing bullets. At the defense industry exhibition, you can see a variety of exhibits that arouse the interest of not only military enthusiasts and consumers who enjoy games, but also children who like cars and unique vehicles. The defense industry exhibition related to the three forces – the Army, Navy, and Air Force – is held every other year, so it is recommended to visit at least once to directly experience interesting military equipment and understand the domestic and international security situation. Family viewing is also a good option.
