- A ceremony took place on April 15
to mark the production of the 10,000th military engine
since 1978
- Ground was broken for a new 'smart plant' to produce the F414
engine powering the KF-21 Fighter Jet for ROK Air Force
- Hanwha Aerospace maintains strong partnerships with global top
engine makers for its high-level of production and consistent
delivery of advanced engine parts
- Hanwha Aerospace aims to develop an indigenous engine with a
thrust of 15,000 lb for the KF-21 Block III and uncrewed fighter
aircraft
SEOUL, South Korea,
April 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Hanwha
Aerospace rolled out its 10,000th military engine on
April 15, achieving a major milestone
for its indigenous development and manufacturing of aero
engines.
A ceremony was held at the Changwon Plant I to commemorate the
rollout of the 10,000th aircraft engine, the F404
powering the TA-50 trainer jet flown by the ROK Air Force. The
milestone was achieved 45 years after the company had produced a
J79 Turbojet engine for the F-4 Phantom II in 1978.
Among the high-profile guests at the ceremony were Gen.
Lee Young-soo, ROK Air Force Chief
of Staff; Minister
Seok Jong-gun of Defense Acquisition
Program Administration; Park
Jong-seung, President of the Agency for Defense
Development.
In a congratulatory message through a video speech, Minister of
National Defense Shin Won-shik
recognized the importance of the country's aero engine
manufacturing capabilities. "The aviation engine embodies a
concentration of advanced technologies, making it a key determinant
of aerospace industry leadership. Furthermore, Hanwha's technology
is expected to play an important role in strengthening the Republic
of Korea's defense capabilities." said the minister.
On the occasion of the engine production milestone, Hanwha
Aerospace broke the ground for a 16,530㎡ engine production
facility, in which F414 engines for the fleet of KF-21 fighter
aircraft to be manufactured under the license from General
Electric. About USD 30 million was
invested to build the facility featuring smart technologies of
IT-based quality management and logistics systems.
As part of efforts to enhance its own engine capabilities,
Hanwha Aerospace is aiming to develop a homegrown turbojet engine
generating 15,000 lbs of thrust, which can power the KF-21 Block
III variant and unmanned fighter aircraft, by the mid-2030s.
Furthermore, the company will continue to develop core technologies
for a 6th-generation jet fighter, such as the Embedded
Electric Starter Generator (E2SG), and ceramic matrix composite
materials.
"Hanwha Aerospace is fully committed to investing in the
research and development of indigenous, advanced aero engines,
instead of relying on foreign technology, to contribute to the
growth of South Korea's aerospace
industry, and enhancing the national security posture as well,"
said Jaeil Son, President and CEO of
Hanwha Aerospace.
Unwavering Partnerships with Big 3 Engine Makers
Founded in 1977, Hanwha Aerospace is a global aerospace and
defense company offering a broad portfolio of products and
services, ranging from land combat systems, precision munitions to
military engine production and MROs.
In the aerospace sector, in particular, Hanwha Aerospace stands
as the only South Korean company that has an end-to-end capacity
for engine designing, manufacturing, and evaluating systems. Based
on this capacity, the company has developed over 1,800 indigenous
engines for precision-guided missiles and auxiliary power units,
along with extensive MRO services on 5,600 military engines for 45
years.
A top-tier partner for the world's three major aircraft engine
companies _ General Electric, Pratt & Whitney, and Rolls-Royce,
Hanwha Aerospace has gained an excellent reputation in the
international aerospace market for its highest level of production
and consistent delivery of sophisticated engine parts.
For press inquiries, please contact : Jeff Sung at sungki.jung@hanwha.com /
Minwoo Nam at
minwoo.nam@hanwha.com
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hanwha-aerospace-celebrates-production-of-10-000-military-engines-302116474.html
SOURCE Hanwha Aerospace