From jets to drones, Korea's defense giants show off top-shelf kit at ADEX
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Korea’s largest defense companies showcased a wide range of their most advanced military hardware and projects under development at the Seoul Aerospace & Defense Exhibition (ADEX), which officially kicked off at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi, on Tuesday.
By displaying their latest weapons systems and technologies, companies such as Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), Hanwha Group, Hyundai Rotem and LIG-Nex1 hope to boost their defense exports, building off the momentum from their large-scale arms deals with Poland last year.
Speaking to the Korea JoongAng Daily, an official from KAI said that the company added a display of its advanced air vehicle (AAV) in response to increased interest in manned-unmanned defense systems from potential foreign clients.
“The defense industry worldwide is moving toward unmanned systems as societies age and experience low birth rates,” the official said.
KAI also mounted displays of models of its FA-50 light fighter aircraft, reflecting ongoing interest from other countries in the company’s recent deal to supply Poland with modified versions of the jet.
A highlight of this year’s Seoul ADEX is the public debut of KAI’s KF-21 Boramae supersonic multirole fighter, which staged a public aerial demonstration for the first time at the exhibition on Tuesday.
Hanwha Aerospace’s exhibit in the fair’s Space Zone includes models of the space launch vehicle Nuri and the country’s first lunar orbiter, Danuri, which the Korea Aerospace Research Institute developed with cooperation from 40 private enterprises, including Hanwha.
Other Hanwha defense systems on display at the Seoul ADEX included a long-range surface-to-air missile (L-SAM) radar system currently under development to intercept ballistic missiles at a high altitude, the radar for the currently deployed midrange range surface-to-air missile (M-SAM) Cheongung system, and a multiple-launch rocket system (MRLS) radar designed to counter North Korean long-range artillery.
Reflecting Korea’s decreasing military crew resources, Hanwha also showcased a variety of unmanned weapons systems at the Seoul ADEX, including unmanned search and rescue vehicles outfitted with lasers, guided munitions, remote firefighting systems and mine detection devices.
Hanwha Aerospace’s Arion-SMET unmanned ground vehicle, which is due to undergo testing by the U.S. Marine Corps in December, was also displayed, as was the Redback infantry fighting vehicle, which was selected as the Australian Army’s next-generation armored vehicle in July.
In remarks to the Korea JoongAng Daily, a Hanwha Aerospace official noted the growing importance of automation in the global defense industry, saying this shift has already been reflected in the company’s best-selling K-9 self-propelled howitzer.
“Previously, the K-9 needed to be manned by three people and required 10 to reload its artillery ammunition, but with the K-10 automatic ammunition resupply vehicle, resupplying requires only a separate crew of three,” he said.
Hyundai Rotem, which manufactured K-2 Black Panther main battle tanks that were also bought by Poland last year, showcased a heavily armored export variant of the tank for the first time at the Seoul ADEX.
The official noted that the new export version of the tank, named the K-2EX, features an active protection system and a remote-controlled weapon system that could be customized to buyer needs and preferences.
Behind the K-2EX, Hyundai Rotem also displayed a full-scale model of a wheeled armored vehicle currently under development, which the official said would likely be part of future tenders by the company should the opportunity arise.
Meanwhile, LIG-Nex1 showcased its signature guided aircraft-mounted weapons, such as the Korean air-launched cruise missile (KALCM) and the Korean GPS-guided bomb (KGGB) kit.
Developed with the state-run Agency for Defense Development, KALCM will be the first Korean-made guided munition to be mounted on the KF-21 and will be capable of carrying out precision strikes on targets up to 500 kilometers (310 miles) away.
The KGGB kit, which can be affixed to existing ballistic munitions, is a flight guidance system that improves the precision of short- and medium-range weapons for up to 70 kilometers.
The company also unveiled its airborne active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, which has been incorporated into the weapons systems of the KF-21 and is capable of detecting, identifying and tracking multiple targets simultaneously in the air and on the ground.
Other guided air defense weapons displayed by LIG-Nex1 include a medium-ranger surface-to-air missile block II, also known as Cheongung II, and the company’s long-range surface-to-air missile (L-SAM) system currently under development.
The Cheongung II system was part of an export package signed with the United Arab Emirates last year.
Some of the weapons displayed by LIG-Nex1, such as the Poniard anti-ship guided rocket system, have already been deployed on South Korean islands in the Yellow Sea located close to the Northern Limit Line, the de facto inter-Korean border.
The Poniard is also set to be the first Korean-made guided munition for export, according to a company official who spoke to the Korea JoongAng Daily.
BY MICHAEL LEE [lee.junhyuk@joongang.co.kr]
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