South Korean aerospace companies have had a strong two years since their last appearance at the Farnborough air show.
In 2022 visitors to the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) stand might have observed a video running on a loop that showed a twin-tailed fighter taking off.
KAI executives at the show were jubilant, for the fighter – the KF-21 Boramae – is the pride of South Korea’s aerospace industry. The first flight from Sacheon, South Korea took place on 19 July 2022, the second day of that year’s Farnborough show.
Building on the KF-21’s maiden sortie, the two years since have been momentous for South Korea’s ambitious aerospace sector, and three key South Korean companies will be promoting their successes and discussing their ambitions at the 2024 show.
KAI enters the show having recently secured its first production contract for the KF-21 from South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA). The company, having produced six prototypes, will build 20 examples of the twin-engined fighter for the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF).
In addition to fulfilling ROKAF needs, KAI sees the KF-21 competing internationally, particularly in the replacement market for ageing Lockheed Martin F-16s.
KAI will also be promoting its export star, the FA-50 light combat jet. At the last instalment of Farnborough, KAI told FlightGlobal that the company aimed to sell 1,000 FA-50s – the light-attack version of the T-50 advanced jet trainer – within 10 years.
This number included requirements from the US Air Force (USAF) and US Navy for additional training aircraft, as well as the need for “red air” aircraft to serve in the aggressor mission. KAI also saw opportunities to replace obsolete Northrop F-5 fighters in service with global air forces.
Just days after these remarks KAI started making good on this goal, with Poland signing a defence equipment agreement with South Korea that included 48 FA-50s to replace obsolete RAC MiG-29s and Sukhoi Su-22s.
Although the FA-50 had already secured customers in Southeast Asia the Middle East, the Polish deal was its biggest sale outside of South Korea, and its first success in Europe.
Poland’s first 12 examples were delivered in 2023 in a FA-50GF (“gap filler”) configuration similar to that used by the ROKAF. From 2025-2028 Warsaw will receive 36 in a full FA-50PL standard, which are capable of air-to-air refuelling, and which can be equipped with the Lockheed Martin Sniper targeting pod. The first batch of aircraft will subsequently be upgraded to the PL standard.
In February 2023, on the heels of the Polish deal, the FA-50 defeated several competing types to win Malaysia’s Fighter Lead-in Trainer-Light Combat Aircraft competition for 18 jets. It is understood that this requirement will eventually grow to a total of 36 jets.
To address customer demand for greater range, KAI is working on a single-seat version of the FA-50.
It also recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Peru’s Seman for FA-50 parts. Media reports suggest that Lima could obtain up to 24 FA-50s.
KAI also continues to seek the first international customer for its KUH-1 Surion utility helicopter.
Another South Korean company that will have a big presence at Farnborough this year is Hanwha, whose aerospace unit is a key part of the country’s aviation ecosystem.
Simultaneously to KAI’s KF-21 production contract, Hanwha secured a separate DAPA contract to cover the 40 GE Aerospace F414 engines that will power the fighters – Hanwha produces the engines under license from the US company.
Earlier this year Hanwha completed its 10,000th aircraft engine, an F404 that will power a KAI T-50/FA-50-famly jet. The company produced its first engine under licence in 1979, a J79 for the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom.
Although technically a US firm, advanced air mobility company Supernal is owned by South Korean car giant Hyundai.
In January the company unveiled its S-A2 electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicle during the consumer electronics show CES in Las Vegas. Supernal will bring a full-scale mock-up to Farnborough this year.
The piloted, four-passenger, V-tail aircraft will operate with a distributed electric propulsion system driving eight tiltrotors. It is designed to cruise at 104kt (193km/h) and will be optimised for flights between 21.6nm (40km) and 34.5nm.
At the Seoul ADEX defence show in October 2023, Supernal chief executive Jaiwon Shin told FlightGlobal that the option of upgrading the battery pack without re-certification of the aircraft will set the SA-2 apart in a crowded field of eVTOL models.
“For the longer term I think that will be much more economical… and make it attractive to upgrade,” he said.
The S-A2 has five seats, one of which will accommodate the pilot. Supernal will conduct a full flight with a technology demonstrator by the end of 2024, with a product-ready prototype ready by 2026. Assuming no certification delays, it expects to enter the US market in 2028.
In March the company announced that a former director at NASA, David McBride, had joined as chief technology officer.
Shin had this to say at the time of McBride’s appointment: “Following the debut of our product concept earlier this year, Supernal has entered a new phase of our advanced air mobility business – where we turn our innovative vehicle concepts into commercially sound and safe all-electric aircraft.”
