[세계로 뻗어가는 K방산] Hanwha Aerospace
Following Hanwha Defense, Hanwha Aerospace merged with Hanwha Defense in April 2023. It has secured the foundation to grow into a ‘global, top-tier innovation’ company encompassing the aviation, space, and defense industries. In the meantime, Hanwha Aerospace has not only strengthened its position in the export market and begun targeting overseas markets, but has also established itself as the center of national projects by taking charge of producing main aircraft engines for the Republic of Korea Air Force domestically.
Following the export of K9 and Chunmu to Poland, Hanwha Aerospace signed a contract with the Romanian Ministry of Defense in Bucharest last July to supply self-propelled artillery worth 1.3828 trillion won. In cooperation with local companies, we plan to sequentially deliver 54 K9 self-propelled howitzers and 36 K10 ammunition carriers starting in 2027.
In addition to the K9 and K10, this contract included a ‘self-propelled artillery package’ such as wheeled equipment for reconnaissance and weather observation and ammunition, leading to the final contract by presenting a total defense solution to Romania. Previously, the Korean government began active support for defense industry exports by adopting a joint statement to strengthen the strategic partnership between the leaders of the two countries and holding the ‘Defense Industry and Logistics Joint Committee’ for the first time. With Romania joining as the 10th K9 operator, the total cumulative exports of K9 (including K10) exceeded KRW 13 trillion, and the number of countries that have introduced K9 self-propelled howitzers among NATO member countries expanded to six.
Hanwha Aerospace is also making efforts to strengthen its position in the export market. The plan is to diversify the export market, including K9 and Chunmu, and target overseas markets with the self-developed infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) ‘Redback’. As a result, Redback was selected for the Australian government’s infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) introduction project. Under this contract, Redback will be produced at the H-ACE factory in Geelong, Victoria, Australia.
Hanwha Aerospace is also focusing on unmanned technology in the defense industry. The multi-purpose unmanned vehicle ‘Arion Met’ was selected as the target equipment for the U.S. Department of Defense’s Foreign Comparative Performance Test (FCT) and signed an FCT business contract. The main test of the Arion Met was successfully completed at the Marine Corps Training Center on Oahu, Hawaii, USA, for three weeks starting in early December last year.
Hanwha Aerospace was selected as a negotiation partner for the ‘Next-generation launch vehicle development project launch vehicle general production’ project in March this year. Hanwha Aerospace, the production company in charge of the Korean Satellite Launch Vehicle (KSLV-II) Nuri upgrade project, observed the successful third launch on May 25 last year. Nuri, which successfully completed its second and third launches, is scheduled to be launched a total of three times until 2027.
Hanwha Aerospace has been involved in the production of liquid rocket engines, turbo pumps, and various valves, which are the core technologies of the launch vehicle, from the early stages of the Korean launch vehicle project. Based on this experience, Hanwha Aerospace plans to commercialize the ‘space transportation’ business that sends private satellites, spacecraft, and various materials into space.
In addition, Hanwha Aerospace produces engines for the Republic of Korea Air Force’s main aircraft, such as the F-15K fighter jet and T-50 advanced trainer, as well as domestically produced engines for the Korean helicopter ‘Surion’. As such, it has unrivaled technology and status in the aircraft engine field. In particular, it took the lead in the integrated development of aircraft engines for the KF-21 ‘Boramae’ project, the next-generation Korean fighter aircraft. Through a technology agreement with GE, we are also pursuing local production of engine parts and major parts.
Hanwha Aerospace has set a goal of achieving annual sales of 2.9 trillion won by 2032 in its global engine parts business. With the ability to produce engines and engine parts for 45 years, the company plans to expand its business in global production bases such as Korea, the United States, and Vietnam to secure the capacity to develop its own engine technology. An official from Hanwha Aerospace said, “The aviation engine field, which can be applied to various fields such as fighter jets, commercial aircraft, and ships, can play a role in the ‘future economy,’” adding, “We have the capacity to produce more than 10,000 engines over 45 years and have “We will contribute to the development of Korea’s own engine with our recognized component technology,” he said.
Hanwha Aerospace possesses ESS (Energy Storage System) technology in the defense and aerospace fields. Hanwha Aerospace recently succeeded in developing the world’s first ‘non-flammable energy storage device’ in cooperation with SK Nmove, a lubricant specialist. The strategy is to become an ‘eco-friendly marine solution leader’ by securing the safest green energy technology in the eco-friendly ship ESS market, which is growing rapidly around the world.
Reporter Park Ji-hye [email protected]
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2024-10-01 13:03:23