Hanwha Aerospace will showcase the prototype of a homegrown 15,000lb.-thrust-class turbofan engine on par with GE’s F414. This will be the first unveiling of the Korean aviation engine concept, as the engine is expected to power South Korea’s KF-21 jet fighters in a future tranche and uncrewed combat aircraft as well. The homegrown engine initiative came after decades of engine manufacturing and production achievements through technical cooperation with global top engine makers. Hanwha Aerospace is the only manufacturer of aero gas turbine engines in South Korea, achieving a major milestone of producing over 10,000 engines in April 2024. Hanwha Systems will offer a series of innovative avionics systems technologies, including active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars for different types of combat aircraft.
With our capabilities in all areas required, Hanwha aims to become a total solution provider offering a complete value chain of services from launch services to satellites, and space exploration,” said Executive Vice President Mr. Lee Jun-won of Space Business Group at Hanwha Aerospace.
“This is a key strength of Hanwha. From engines to radars and sensors, Hanwha has a full capability to supply core components and technologies for making sophisticated fighter jets,” said Mr. Park Hyuk, Head of Surveillance & Reconnaissance Business Division at Hanwha Systems.
“Leveraging our decades of accumulated experience and exceptional expertise in aircraft engine manufacturing, we’re fully committed to developing an aero turbofan engine of our own technology. With the successful development of K-21 fighter jets, and growing defense industry capabilities in Korea, we are confident in the success of our endeavor,” said Executive Vice President Mr. Kim Won-wook, Head of Advanced Aero Engine Business Unit.
Hanwha’s cutting-edge space technologies will also be shown off at the show, as Hanwha Aerospace is taking the lead of South Korean efforts to advance its space launch capability. The homegrown KSLV-II space launch vehicle will be displayed in a mock-up, along with SpaceEye-T, the world’s highest resolution commercial earth observation satellite. Also known as Nuri, the KSLV-II is a three-stage launch vehicle with a payload capacity of a 1.5-ton to Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO). As the systems integrator, Hanwha Aerospace will take charge of KSLV-II’s future launch missions through 2027. Built by Satrec-I, a subsidiary of Hanwha Aerospace, SpaceEye-T is capable of identifying the type of vehicle on the road from space, using its super resolution 0.3m imagery capabilities. In addition, Hanwha Systems will showcase its small synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite, which has been in orbit since December 2023.
Founded in 1977, Hanwha Aerospace is a global aerospace and defense company offering a broad portfolio of products and services, ranging from land combat systems, precision munitions to military engine production and MROs. In the aerospace sector, Hanwha Aerospace stands as the only South Korean company that has an end-to-end capacity for engine designing, manufacturing, and evaluating systems. Based on this capacity, the company has developed over 1,800 indigenous engines for precision-guided missiles and auxiliary power units, along with extensive MRO services on 5,600 military engines for 45 years. A top-tier partner for the world’s three major aircraft engine companies _ General Electric, Pratt & Whitney, and Rolls-Royce, Hanwha Aerospace has gained an excellent reputation in the international aerospace market for its highest level of production and consistent delivery of sophisticated engine parts. Hanwha Systems is the leading company of the Republic of Korea in various business areas ranging from avionics, space to security and safety solutions, and information systems service. Hanwha Systems has Defense Division and ICT Division with the customer value being the top priority.