Hanwha Systems, Leonardo collaborate on developing AESA radar

Hanwha Systems Co., a South Korean defense contractor, has joined forces with Leonardo SpA, a leading European defense company, to jointly develop an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar for light fighter jets.

Hanwha Systems announced on Wednesday that it had signed a "heads of agreement" (HOA) for the export of a preliminary model of the AESA radar for light fighter jets with Leonardo at the Paris Air Show, which took place on June 19 in France.

Through this collaboration, Hanwha Systems plans to jointly develop AESA radar for fighter jets with Leonardo, aiming to capture the global AESA radar market.

"This opportunity allows Hanwha Systems to enter the market for performance-improved radar for fighter aircraft, which Leonardo has already supplied to the European market," explained an official from Hanwha Systems.

Leonardo, a multinational company specializing in aerospace, defense and security within the European Union (EU), also expects to strengthen its position in the global fighter jet market through this agreement. The AESA radar is crucial equipment for future combat aircraft, performing various missions such as the detection and tracking of airborne and ground targets.

"Through this agreement, we hope to secure an export model of the AESA radar and quickly establish a strong presence in the global radar export market," said Eoh Sungchul, CEO of Hanwha Systems.  "We will continue to expand our export channels by securing a product lineup that can be applied to various aircraft in the future."

Previously, Hanwha Systems had collaborated with the Korean Agency for Defense Development to jointly develop an AESA radar for the KF-21 fighter aircraft.

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