[Military Story] The Heart of the Latest Fighter Jets Is Made Here

A Tour of Hanwha Aerospace Changwon Plant
From Licensed Production of F-4 Fighter Jets to 6th Generation Engines

The F-4 ‘Phantom,’ which first flew in 1958, was a powerhouse. During the Vietnam War in the 1960s, it was used by the U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps, and was regarded as the ultimate air combat fighter. In 1968, tensions on the Korean Peninsula escalated due to incidents such as the North Korean armed guerrilla raid on the Blue House and the capture of the USS Pueblo, leading to the introduction of the F-4 into the Republic of Korea Air Force. The engines were produced by Samsung Precision Industry (now Hanwha Aerospace). At the time, this was an unprecedented and groundbreaking production even on a global scale. This year, we visited Hanwha Aerospace’s Changwon plant, which produced 10,000 F-4 engines.

Hanwha Aerospace plans to develop a 15,000-pound class engine, equivalent to the KF-21 engine, by the mid to late 2030s in collaboration with the government. (Photo by Hanwha Aerospace)

Employees are conducting the final inspection of the produced fighter jet engines at Hanwha Aerospace Changwon Plant 1. (Photo by Hanwha Aerospace)

Engine blades used in the KF-21 fighter jet. (Photo by Hanwha Aerospace)

At Hanwha Aerospace Changwon Plant 1, testing is underway for the 10,000th engine 'F404' produced by Hanwha Aerospace. (Photo by Hanwha Aerospace)

Hanwha Aerospace began as Samsung Precision Industry, established in 1977. After changing its name to Samsung Techwin Co., Ltd. and then Hanwha Techwin, it became Hanwha Aerospace in 2018. Upon entering the factory, the building painted in Hanwha’s signature orange color caught the eye.

On the first floor of the main building, the history of engines can be seen at a glance. After being designated as a defense contractor, Hanwha Aerospace produced the J79 engine for the Air Force’s F-4 fighter jet for the first time in 1979. In 1982, it produced the J85 engine for the KF-5 Freedom Fighter. In 1995, it manufactured the F100 engine for the KF-16 fighter jet and the T-700 engine for the large UH-60 (Black Hawk) helicopter. In 2005, it produced the F110 engine for the F-15K fighter jet, and in 2006, the F404 engine for the T-50 supersonic advanced trainer. In 2022, it began producing the F414 engine for the KF-21 Boramae fighter jet. The engine for the KF-21 Boramae was developed by General Electric, and Hanwha Aerospace produces it under license.

Smart Factory Plant, Fully Automated Facilities

Following a guide, we entered the smart factory plant. Through a monitor at the entrance, the daily production status was visible at a glance: 4 tasks in progress, 64 waiting, and 66 completed. On that day, the overall equipment effectiveness was 67.8%. Machines were operating, but no people were visible. The entire facility was automated. In the hallway, Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) were busily transporting various parts. In the second-floor material warehouse, parts were picked out like shopping and moved to the assembly area. At the assembly site, robotic arms picked up parts and began assembly. Kim Kyung-won, the plant manager, said, “On weekdays, workers come out to work alongside robots, but on weekends, only robots operate,” adding, “The factory runs 24 hours a day, year-round.”

Developing an Independent Engine Comparable to the KF-21

Hanwha Aerospace aims to independently develop engines in the future. By the mid-to-late 2030s, it plans to collaborate with the government to develop a 15,000-pound-class engine comparable to the KF-21 engine. This is not an easy task. Although South Korea’s engine technology has reached about 70% of the level of advanced countries, material technology stands at only 40-50%, meaning there is still much technology to be secured. Engine components are made of superalloys composed of nickel and other elements. They must withstand engine temperatures exceeding thousands of degrees. While the raw material composition is known, the ratios and manufacturing methods are secret. Advanced countries with technology to develop engines for fighter jets strictly control technology transfer and exports related to engines under various regulations such as the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), and Export Administration Regulations (EAR).

Possessing Core Technologies Such as Blades

At the fighter jet engine assembly building, engines for the T-50 supersonic advanced trainer exported to Thailand were being assembled. The engines stood upright, with hundreds of blades that looked like spikes attached. The blades function like fan blades, supplying oxygen to the engine as they rotate. The more blades there are, the more powerful the engine.

On one side of the factory, there was a closed process facility. It was off-limits to the public because missile engines are being developed there as part of the Vinnic project. Lee Seung-doo, executive director in charge of production, said, “All engines for domestically developed cruise missiles are made here.”

A Hanwha Aerospace official said, “Developing aircraft engines is a destiny to prepare for the future,” adding, “Only by securing high-efficiency, high-reliability engine technology can we respond to the technological capabilities of neighboring countries and secure security sovereignty and economic benefits.”