News Archive — Page 9

Hyundai Rotem sealed a record $6.5 billion second export deal with Poland for 180 K2 Black Panther tanks, including 63 of the Polish-specification K2PL variant to be built at a local plant in Poland with state-run PGZ. This is the largest single contract in Korean defense export history.

The first Polish-assembled K2PL main battle tanks have entered production at the Bumar-Labedy plant in Gliwice, Poland. The K2PL features Polish-specified subsystems and enhanced NATO interoperability.

At IndoDefense 2025, Indonesia and South Korea signed a new agreement reaffirming Indonesia's planned purchase of 48 KF-21 Boramae aircraft with PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PT DI) production participation, paving the way for the first KF-21 export.

The Philippines signed a 975.3 billion won ($711 million) contract with KAI for 12 additional FA-50 light combat aircraft along with follow-on logistics support, expanding the Philippine Air Force's Korean-built combat fleet to 24 jets.

DAPA held a ceremony marking the start of final assembly for the first mass-produced KF-21 Boramae at KAI's Sacheon facility. With prototype flight testing expected to continue until 2026, the milestone moves the program from development toward serial production.

The KF-21 Boramae has completed its full flight test program, including weapons integration tests with air-to-air missiles. The achievement clears the path for initial operational capability and serial production.

Egypt is close to finalizing a major deal with KAI for up to 100 FA-50 light combat aircraft worth over $1 billion. Egyptian Ambassador confirmed negotiations are nearly complete. An initial batch of 36 aircraft would be delivered from Korea, with the remaining 70 locally assembled at Egypt's Helwan facility. Would be the largest FA-50 export deal to date.

Norway has selected the K239 Chunmoo as its new multiple launch rocket system, becoming the third European customer after Poland and Romania. The deal builds on Norway's existing use of K9 VIDAR howitzers.

Saudi Arabia has signed a multi-billion dollar contract with Hanwha Aerospace for K9A2 self-propelled howitzers, marking the largest Middle Eastern K9 order to date and expanding Hanwha's Gulf presence.

Hanwha Aerospace reported record 2024 revenue of 11.24 trillion won ($7.7 billion) and operating profit of 1.72 trillion won, driven by strong demand for the K9 howitzer and K239 Chunmoo MLRS, particularly through export contracts with Poland.

South Korea's defense exports totaled a preliminary $9.5 billion in 2024, about half of DAPA's initial $20 billion target, which had been cut to $15 billion mid-year. Exports have declined from $17.3 billion in 2022 and $13.5 billion in 2023, largely because the $7 billion second K2 tank contract with Poland was not finalized during the year.

Korea Aerospace Industries has been awarded a 1.96 trillion won ($1.41 billion) contract to begin initial production of the KF-21 Boramae fighter. The first production batch covers 20 Block 1 aircraft for the Republic of Korea Air Force, with another 20 possibly ordered the following year.

The Philippines has signed a contract with Hanwha Ocean for two HDC-3100 corvettes to modernize the Philippine Navy's surface fleet. The 3,100-ton vessels will be the most capable warships in the Philippine fleet.

Romania has signed a contract for the K239 Chunmoo multiple launch rocket system, becoming the second European customer after Poland. The deal includes launchers and CTM-290 guided missiles.

Saudi Arabia signed a $3.2 billion contract with LIG Nex1 for the Cheongung-II medium-range surface-to-air missile defense system, Seoul's defense ministry disclosed in February 2024. Signed the previous November, it is LIG Nex1's second overseas sale of Cheongung-II after the UAE and a major Middle East breakthrough.

The South Korean government has announced plans to become the world's fourth-largest defense exporter by 2027, backed by continued strong demand for Korean weapons systems across Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.

Australia has selected the Hanwha AS21 Redback infantry fighting vehicle for its Land 400 Phase 3 program, beating the Rheinmetall Lynx KF41. The program, valued at between AU$5 billion and AU$7 billion, covers 129 vehicles to be manufactured in Geelong, Victoria.

South Korea's L-SAM long-range surface-to-air missile system, under development by the Agency for Defense Development, successfully intercepted a target missile in a test at the Anheung site in Taean, its third success in four tests and a major milestone for South Korea's indigenous missile defense capability within the KAMD framework.

Hanwha Group completed its acquisition of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME), rebranding the company as Hanwha Ocean. The move strengthens Hanwha's position in both commercial shipbuilding and naval defense.

Malaysia has signed a contract for 18 FA-50M Block 20 light combat aircraft, expected to be equipped with Raytheon's PhantomStrike AESA radar, marking the most advanced FA-50 variant sold to date.

Korea Aerospace Industries' KF-21 Boramae 4.5-generation fighter achieved its first supersonic flight, breaking Mach 1.0 during a test flight from Sacheon Air Base. The milestone brings Korea closer to indigenous advanced fighter production.

South Korea's defense exports reached a record $17.3 billion in 2022, driven primarily by the massive Polish procurement of K2 tanks, K9 howitzers, FA-50 fighters, and Chunmoo MLRS. The figure represents a dramatic increase from the previous year.

Poland has taken delivery of its first batch of 10 K2 Black Panther main battle tanks from Hyundai Rotem, marking the beginning of deliveries under a 180-tank, $3.4 billion contract within a broader agreement for 980 K2s that will make Poland the largest K2 operator outside South Korea.

Hanwha Defense Australia has broken ground on its new armored vehicle manufacturing facility at Avalon Airport in Greater Geelong, Victoria, which will produce the AS9 Huntsman SPH and AS10 armoured ammunition resupply vehicle for the Australian Defence Force.