Hanwha Aerospace

Hanwha Aerospace has become a leading company in South Korea by expanding its business into space, aviation and defense. With an unwavering focus on customer-centric quality management, technological innovation, and product competitiveness reinforced by advanced technologies, the company is surging forward as a global leader by providing total solutions that speak to needs in both the commercial field (space and aviation) as well as those in defense (land, naval, and air).

For 25 years, Hanwha Aerospace’s business has advanced in line with South Korea’s journey in space development. Starting with the development of the Korean Sounding Rocket-III (KSR-III) in 1999, our journey bore fruit in June 2022 with the successful launch of Nuri (KSLV-II), an indigenous space vehicle. This remarkable milestone turned South Korea into the seventh country in the world to put a 1.5-ton satellite into orbit with indigenous technologies. With unrivalled space engine manufacturing capability, the company has played a critical role in producing key components, including the 75-ton liquid rocket engine, fuel feed valves, and attitude control systems, improving the country’s space technological prowess, and enhancing the space sovereignty of South Korea.

In 2022, Hanwha Aerospace was appointed the system integrator for KSLV upgrades in recognition of our business acumen and technological expertise. In 2023, it successfully participated in the third launch of the KSLV-II rocket after upgrading the indigenous space vehicle. We continue to work closely with the Korea Aerospace Research Institute to ensure the success of the fourth KSLV-II rocket launch, scheduled for November 2025. Hanwha Aerospace is planning one launch per year in 2026 and 2027, further advancing South Korea’s space launch vehicle technology and taking a leading role in building the nation’s space industry ecosystem.

In 2024, the South Korean government selected Hanwha Aerospace as the system integrator of a project developing the next-generation space vehicle called KSLV-III. The KSLV-III Project is a follow-up project to the KSLV-II Project, and Hanwha Aerospace, in cooperation with the Korean Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), will participate in all development processes from design to launch, aiming to complete a challenging mission: sending a lunar module to the Moon by 2032. With our technological expertise and lessons learned from the KSLV-III Project, Hanwha will lead the way in creating a private-centered aerospace ecosystem and make inroads into the global space vehicle market.

In addition to developing space vehicles, Hanwha Aerospace is also focused on building an aerospace value chain. As part of that effort, Hanwha acquired shares of Satrec Initiative in 2021, a competitive South Korean satellite company which developed Space Eye-T, a constellation of elite-resolution Earth observation satellites. By utilizing collected satellite data, both Hanwha and Satrec Initiative are working together to find future business development opportunities in adjacent fields. As a core member of Hanwha Group's Space Hub initiative, Hanwha Aerospace is actively exploring a variety of future business opportunities that build on the Group’s existing strengths and combine them with the burgeoning space industry.

As South Korea’s only company specializing in aircraft gas turbine engines, Hanwha Aerospace continues to make advancements in the industry. Since starting with D-level gas turbine maintenance in 1979, Hanwha has expanded its business to provide aircraft engines and component solutions for both South Korean and international markets. For almost half a century, Hanwha has produced over 10,000 engines, including engines of key aircraft in the Republic of Korea (ROK) Air Force such as the F-15K and the T-50 advanced jet trainer, as well as the indigenous engines of the ROK Army’s utility helicopter (KUH) Surion. Through technical partnership with GE, Hanwha Aerospace is at the helm of developing an integrated engine for the KF-21, a South Korean fighter jet, while localizing its key components. In 2024, we signed a contract valued at around USD 401 million with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) to supply engines for the first mass-production batch of the KF-21, reinforcing our role as a trusted partner for future air defense platforms.

Hanwha Aerospace is strengthening the foundation of South Korea’s aircraft engine industry by localizing core materials and components for engines developed under government-led initiatives, including next-generation aircraft engines. We continue to enhance our global competitiveness through process optimization for individual components and by expanding our global supply chain network. Hanwha Aerospace is also entering the unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) market, recognized as a game changer in future defense environments. In collaboration with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI), a leading global UAS company, we are working to co-develop the Gray Eagle–Short Takeoff and Landing (GE-STOL) platform.

Building on our extensive expertise in aircraft engine technology in the field of civil aviation, Hanwha Aerospace has strengthened its competitive stance worldwide, maintaining close partnerships with key global aviation original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) such as GE, Rolls-Royce, and Pratt & Whitney. It continues to expand its global networks by establishing overseas production subsidiaries. In 2016, the company founded a joint venture with Pratt & Whitney in Singapore (PWMS) and joined a revenue sharing program (RSP) to co-design next-generation aircraft engines. In 2017, it built a production plant in Vietnam to improve cost competitiveness and production capacity. We then acquired EDAC Technologies, a U.S. aircraft engine component manufacturer, in 2019. Shortly after, we launched Hanwha Aerospace USA to expand our product portfolio and to advance our precise processing technology. In recognition of our worldclass reliability and timely delivery capabilities, Hanwha Aerospace received the Trusted to Deliver Excellence Award from U.K.-based aircraft engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce in 2022.

Hanwha Aerospace is emerging as a global leader in the defense industry with unique and cutting-edge technological competitiveness in land systems and precision guided munitions. Recently, the K9 Thunder, a world-class indigenous self-propelled howitzer, has been successfully tested and evaluated in more than 10 countries, including the U.S., demonstrating its unrivalled firepower, maneuverability, and survivability through the integration of high-response artillery automation and combined mannedunmanned operation technologies. It is currently in operation in 10 countries, including Poland and Romania. In 2024, Hanwha signed a K9 supply contract with Romania. This was followed by a second K9 contract with India and an additional chassis supply agreement with Poland, both signed in 2025. These successive deals reaffirmed our leading presence in the global artillery market. The company has unrivalled technological expertise in key components of 155-millimeter (mm) artillery shells such as fuses and propelling charges. In 2023, we secured an export contract with the U.K.’s BAE Systems to provide NATO-standard modular charge systems (MCSs), showcasing our ability to meet the growing worldwide need for ammunition.

Chunmoo, Hanwha Aerospace’s multi rocket launcher system (MRLS), is the product of the first system development project led by a defense company system in South Korea. Chunmoo’s unmatched capabilities, such as real-time wide precision strikes against key targets, led to a significant deal in 2022 with Poland. Additionally, in 2023, Hanwha was awarded another contract with Australia for its next-generation infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), Redback, as part of the country’s Land 400 Phase 3 initiative. This contract also demonstrated the company’s competitiveness over contenders in land systems. Furthermore, the ROK Army’s main armored vehicle, the K21, and the advanced armored wheeled vehicle, Tigon, fulfill their missions with excellent mobility and the safe transportation of troops. Hanwha Aerospace is seeking to enter international markets with the Chungum anti-tank guided missile. The missile, which is deployed on a light armed helicopter (LAH), is being adapted for use with ground platforms such as the Redback and Tigon.

Additionally, Hanwha Aerospace is developing MUM-T systems to enhance combat efficiency and reduce casualties on future battlefields. In 2023, the company’s Autonomous and Robotic Systems for Intelligence Off-road Navigation-Small Multi-purpose Equipment Transport (Arion-SMET), a proprietary multipurpose unmanned ground vehicle (UGV), successfully completed Foreign Comparative Performance Testing (FCT) by the U.S. Marine Corps at the Marine Corps Training Area Bellows (MCTAB) in Hawaii, where it was recognized for its autonomous driving performance and transport capabilities. Building on this success, we plan to launch the upgraded Grunt model in 2025, featuring enhanced range and payload capacity. Hanwha Aerospace continues to contribute to the advancement of South Korea’s integrated air and missile defense capabilities through its advanced technological expertise, from the short-range air defense system H-SHORAD, to the medium-range surface-to-air missile system M-SAM (Chungoong), and the L-SAM, a long-range surface-to-air missile system currently under development and production.

Hanwha Aerospace offers total maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services to ensure the optimal operation of equipment, based on our strong manufacturing and R&D capabilities. Our MRO division operates a comprehensive and systematic support system that covers the entire process, including local depot-level maintenance, performance upgrades, performance-based logistics (PBL) support, and the assessment and supply of repair parts. These services help customers keep their equipment operating at peak performance. Backed by decades of experience and unmatched expertise in the MRO field, we are expanding our MRO operations and aim to grow into a leading global provider of total MRO solutions.

Hanwha Aerospace is taking the lead in building a sustainable maritime ecosystem through its eco-friendly electric propulsion systems (EPS). We supply lithium-ion energy storage systems (ESS) for domestic submarines, which feature world-class fire safety design. We are also expanding into the civilian marine market with ESS solutions designed for commercial vessels. Building on our experience in delivering optimized EPS solutions for both military submarines and civilian ships, we plan to expand our product lineup to include hydrogen fuel cell systems for these platforms, strengthening our global business competitiveness. In addition, we are bringing the development of propulsion energy management systems (PEMS) — the core of EPS — in-house, enabling optimized energy use and advanced control. We are also developing an integrated automation system (IAS) to control ammonia gas turbines, with the aim of pioneering the world’s first zero-carbon marine propulsion system. Through our smart ship digital solutions, we will enhance operational usability and efficiency, driving innovation in next-generation maritime technologies.

Hanwha Aerospace also supplies reliable and efficient naval ship engines (LM 2500, LM 500) and generators (gas turbines) for the ROK Navy's key assets, including destroyers and patrol ships. These contributions are essential in reinforcing naval capabilities in maritime battlefields.

Hanwha Aerospace will continue to take on bold challenges for a sustainable future by pioneering technologies that create value for people and the planet. In doing so, we aim to unlock new possibilities for future generations and establish ourselves as a world-class innovative enterprise.