[Asia Economy Reporter Dongwoo Lee] Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) announced on the 18th that it will showcase a new product lineup centered on 4th Industrial Revolution technologies at the ‘Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition 2021 (ADEX)’ held at Seoul Airport from the 19th to the 23rd.
The KAI exhibition hall is largely divided into four zones: KAI Future Vision, Fixed-wing, Rotary-wing, and Future Business.
In the Future Vision zone, all aircraft developed and produced by KAI will be displayed, along with a virtual demonstration flight of the KF-21, scheduled for its maiden flight early next year, and a video unveiling of the future mobility urban air mobility (UAM) concept.
The Fixed-wing zone features the KF-21 Boramae delivered last April, the FA-50 light attack aircraft undergoing performance upgrades, and a model of the next basic trainer. The Rotary-wing zone introduces the amphibious assault helicopter based on the amphibious maneuver helicopter and the manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) system for joint operations of manned and unmanned aircraft.
The Future Business zone will exhibit various satellites including next-generation medium-sized satellites and microsatellites, vertical takeoff and landing unmanned aerial vehicles (VTOL), and future training systems based on virtual reality (VR) concepts.
In particular, the UAM, unveiled for the first time by KAI, includes two platforms: manned transport and unmanned cargo. KAI plans to secure UAM core technologies and develop an independent UAM model by the late 2020s.
KAI also revealed for the first time the next basic trainer proposed to replace the Korean Air Force’s KT-1 basic trainer. The amphibious assault helicopter, currently being developed domestically, will be displayed at full scale. The amphibious assault helicopter is based on the Marine Corps amphibious maneuver helicopter and applies a stub wing with a total of six external weapon stations equipped. It will carry various armaments for amphibious support and attack missions, including air-to-air, air-to-ground, and unguided rockets.
A space will be provided where visitors can directly experience future training systems applied with advanced 4th Industrial Revolution technologies such as metaverse and digital twin technologies.
KAI also presents its vision for space business. KAI is leading the development of the next-generation medium-sized satellite No. 2, the first private-led project in Korea, and is overseeing the final assembly of the Korean launch vehicle Nuri, scheduled for launch on the 21st. Additionally, KAI has established Korea’s first private space center capable of satellite design, manufacturing, assembly, and testing, and has built a mass production infrastructure capable of simultaneously producing multiple satellites ranging from large to microsatellites.
KAI stated, "We will strengthen our system integration capabilities in space manufacturing and expand the scope of the space industry including operations and services through strategic cooperation with domestic and international companies, aiming to become a global key player in the new space era."
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