Hanwha Systems and Leonardo Collaborate on AESA Radar Development

Targeting the Global Market... Development of Compact and Lightweight AESA Radar

Hanwha Systems has partnered with the global aerospace and defense company Leonardo S.p.A. Hanwha Systems plans to enhance the technology of the air-cooled AESA radar (Active Electronically Scanned Array radar), the first of its kind developed domestically, to expand exports.

Eo Seong-cheol, CEO of Hanwha Systems, Luca Piccolo, Vice President of Leonardo Aerospace Division (from left).
[Photo by Hanwha Systems]

According to Hanwha Systems on the 23rd, on the 22nd (local time), they signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the joint development of air-cooled AESA radar with Leonardo S.p.A. at the Farnborough International Airshow in the UK.

Hanwha Systems aims to advance the globally recognized air-cooled AESA radar technology together with Leonardo and secure a diverse lineup of AESA radars that can be mounted on light attack aircraft, small reconnaissance aircraft, and various unmanned aerial vehicles, targeting diversification of export markets.

The "air-cooled technology" is a revolutionary technology that cools the radar, which generates significant heat, using only air, eliminating the need for separate cooling devices unlike traditional liquid-cooled systems, enabling the radar to be smaller and lighter. Additionally, it allows for the development of an integrated AESA radar that combines the signal processing unit and power supply unit into a single radar, making it possible to equip high-performance radars on small unmanned aerial vehicles and drones with wingspans of 3 to 5 meters.

The AESA radar to be developed jointly by the two companies will be equipped with ultra-high-resolution SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar), enabling missions such as aerial, ground, and maritime intelligence gathering and moving target detection, which is expected to maximize surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.

AESA radar is one of the most important pieces of equipment in future air combat, acting as the "eyes" of fighter jets, capable of simultaneously performing missions such as detecting and tracking air, ground, and maritime targets with cutting-edge radar technology.

Leonardo is a leading European defense company supplying radars mounted on various aircraft in Europe as well as avionics equipment. Hanwha Systems aims to export the jointly developed air-cooled AESA radar to the Italian and European markets through Leonardo’s established supply chain.

Park Hyuk, Head of the Surveillance and Reconnaissance Division at Hanwha Systems, said, “Hanwha Systems will continue collaboration with Leonardo to lead the global air-cooled AESA radar market and develop AESA radars suitable for various aircraft. Following the Cheongung II multifunction radar, we will do our best to establish AESA radar as a key future export product for Hanwha Systems.”