First Mass-Produced AESA Radar for KF-21 Unveiled
Hanwha Systems Begins Full-Scale Supply After Successful Prototype Development
The domestically developed 'AESA radar for aircraft' will be officially installed on the Korean fighter jet (KF-21).
The AESA radar is mounted on a platform simulator to verify the functionality and performance of the ground-based AESA radar system before the flight test. Photo by Hanwha Systems
According to Hanwha Systems on August 6, the company signed the remaining contract for the AESA radar this year, following the initial mass production priority contract last year. A total of 40 AESA radars are scheduled to be installed on the KF-21 by 2028.
The AESA radar, known as the "eyes" of the fighter jet, is a state-of-the-art radar capable of simultaneously performing various missions such as detecting and tracking aerial, ground, and maritime targets. Compared to conventional mechanical radars, it offers a wider detection range and faster response speed. It can identify and engage multiple targets at the same time, making it a key piece of equipment that determines the survivability and success of fighter jets in modern aerial combat.
The AESA radar was an area of significant skepticism regarding whether it could be developed solely with domestic technology after the United States refused to transfer its technology in 2015. Hanwha Systems participated as the prototype manufacturer for the AESA radar under the supervision of the Agency for Defense Development, and successfully rolled out the first prototype in 2020, just four years after the project began. With the rollout of the first mass-produced unit, Hanwha Systems will now begin full-scale supply of AESA radars to be installed on the actual KF-21.
Hanwha Systems held a rollout ceremony for the "first mass-produced AESA radar for the KF-21" at its Yongin Integrated Research Center the previous day. The antenna test facility at Hanwha Systems' Yongin Integrated Research Center, where the ceremony took place, is an advanced research facility newly established at the end of 2024 for the AESA radar. It is equipped with a near-field testing facility capable of simultaneously testing the performance of up to four small airborne radars. The facility can precisely measure and verify the core functions, performance, and characteristics of the AESA radar antenna, which consists of approximately 1,000 transmit/receive channels.
Park Hyuk, head of Hanwha Systems' Defence Electronics (DE) Division, stated, "Hanwha Systems is the only company in Korea to have succeeded in the domestic development and stable mass production of the AESA radar for aircraft, as well as in exporting it. We will further accelerate our efforts to target the global market with the AESA radar, which can be applied to a variety of platforms ranging from medium-class fighter jets to light fighters and small unmanned aerial vehicles."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
