Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has won avionics upgrade tenders for three separate aircraft types operated by the Republic of Korea Air Force (RoKAF).
The company says the tenders were secured in 2020, and are worth about $50 million.
“The recent tenders won in South Korea reflects the Korean defence minister’s confidence in IAI’s Aviation Group,” says IAI executive vice-president Yosef Melamed.
“The Aviation Group seeks to expand its operations in South Korea, both as a supplier and as a client.”
IAI has not named the aircraft types to be upgraded, but the contract website of Seoul’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) shows that the company won three tenders during 2020.
One, posted on 14 December 2020, relates to the Sikorsky S-92 (designated HH-92) used as a presidential transport. Another, posted on 19 October 2020, relates to the Kamov Ka-32 (designated HH-32), which the RoKAF uses in the combat search and rescue mission.
The third DAPA contract for IAI in 2020, awarded on 11 December, is not related to an aircraft, but appears to be an acquisition of Harpy 2 loitering munitions.
On 17 December 2019, however, the DAPA site shows that IAI won a tender related to Seoul’s Hawker HC-800 Peace Krypton tactical signals intelligence jets.
Melamed notes that in 2020 IAI relocated wing production work for the Gulfstream G280 business jet to Korea Aerospace Industries.
