Hanwha Systems joins C-130H airplane modification project

Hanwha Systems Co. announced on Monday that it has been awarded a second contract by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration for the South Korean Air Force's C-130H transport aircraft.

The project is to improve the survivability of C-130H transport aircraft by equipping them with protective equipment such as directional infrared countermeasures (DIRCM), missile approach warning system (MAWS) and survival management computer (EWC).

Hanwha Systems is the sixth company in the world and the first in Korea to localize the DIRCM and successfully completed the first operational test evaluation in 2021 to verify its potential for electrification.

The company also succeeded in localizing the EWC through the Surion, Korean Uitility Helicopter,  and small armed helicopter system development projects.

In this project, Hanwha plans to introduce an integrated aviation survival system solution by integrating the DIRCM developed with domestic technology and the MAWS provided by overseas partners into the EWC.

"We look forward to the opportunity to apply our integrated survival system solutions to various aircraft operated by the Korean military," said Kim Jeong-ho, CEO of Hanwha Systems' Aerospace Division. "We also plan to actively challenge our entry into the global defense market by securing export competitiveness."

Write to Hyung-Kyu Kim at khk@hankyung.com