Hanwha Wins USD 4.1bn Chunmoo Guided Rocket Contract in Poland

The contract was concluded with the Polish Armaments Agency and covers 80-kilometer-range precision-guided rockets, with production to be localized in Poland. The agreement is regarded as one of the largest single guided-munition export deals in South Korean defense industry history.Execution of the contract will be led by Hanwha-WB Advanced System (HWB), a joint venture established between Hanwha Aerospace and Polish defense electronics prime WB...

LIG Nex1 Eyes Major Rebrand

According to industry sources, the company is reviewing the name “LIG Defence & Aerospace” as a replacement for its current brand. The proposed change reflects LIG Nex1’s ambition to reposition itself as a comprehensive defense and aerospace player, aligning its identity with expanding businesses in missiles, sensors, electronic warfare, space, and advanced ISR capabilities.Preparatory steps are already underway. The firm has re...

South Korea’s First Submarine Jangbogo Ends 34-Year Mission

The Republic of Korea Navy held a retirement ceremony on December 29 at the parade ground of the ROK Navy Submarine Command, marking the end of an era in South Korea’s undersea warfare history.The ceremony was presided over by Vice Adm. Kim Kyung-ryul, Commander of ROK Fleet Operations, and attended by Adm. Kang Dong-gil, Chief of Naval Operations; Brig. Gen. (ret.) Ahn Byeong-gu, the submarine’s first commanding officer; former crew ...

Cambodians Protest in Seoul Over Alleged Use of T-50TH Jets in Thai Strikes

Dozens of demonstrators gathered near the War Memorial of Korea in Yongsan District, holding placards and chanting slogans condemning what they described as the “misuse of Korean weapons” in an attack on Cambodian territory.Organizers submitted a petition to the Ministry of National Defense calling for a review of South Korea’s defense exports and stricter controls to prevent their use in cross-border attacks.The protesters alle...

LIG Nex1 Awarded $1.15B Deal for ROKAF's EW Aircraft Development

The company announced on Tuesday that it signed a system development contract with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration for the Korean Electronic Warfare Aircraft (Block-I) program. Under the agreement, LIG Nex1 will complete system development by June 2034.The program aims to field a large, specialized mission aircraft equipped with advanced electronic warfare mission systems capable of conducting electromagnetic operations.These syste...

Hanwha Systems Wins $70M Deal to Build AI Command Brain for ROK–U.S. Forces

The company announced that it had won the KRW 93.7 billion (about USD 70 million, VAT excluded) contract under a program led by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration to upgrade the Allied Korea Joint Command and Control System (AKJCCS).AKJCCS is the central command-and-control architecture responsible for directing ROK–U.S. combined operations across the Korean Peninsula. First fielded in 2015, the system has faced mounting operati...

K-Frigates Secure $600M Follow-On Deal to Guard Philippine Seas

Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced on December 26 that Department of National Defense (DND) and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries signed a contract worth USD 578 million (approximately KRW 8.5 trillion) for the Philippine Navy Frigate Acquisition Project – Phase II in Manila.The deal, a key pillar of the Philippine Navy’s Horizon 3 modernization plan, covers the construction and delivery of two 3,200-ton next-genera...

KAI Secures Philippine FA-50PH Upgrade Deal

The contract, valued at approximately KRW 93 billion (about USD 70 million), covers performance upgrades and follow-on logistics support for 11 FA-50PH aircraft delivered between 2015 and 2017. The modernization program will be implemented in phases through 2029.Under the agreement, the FA-50PH fleet will gain enhanced precision-guided munitions capability, extended range and endurance, and improved sustained combat operations. The upgrade will a...

LIG Nex1 Launches $156 Million Short-Range Air-to-Air Missile-II Program for KF-21

The company announced that it has signed a contract with the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) for system integration and missile prototype development under the SRAAM-II program.Led by ADD, the project focuses on developing a domestically produced short-range air-to-air missile optimized for within-visual-range (WVR) combat, enhancing both lethality against enemy aircraft and survivability of friendly fighters.The total program value is estim...

KF-21 Fast-Tracks Air-to-Ground Combat Capability

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) held the project kickoff meeting on Tuesday at Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) facilities in Sacheon, Gyeongsangnam-do.The meeting was attended by representatives from the Ministry of National Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Republic of Korea Air Force, the Agency for Defense Development (ADD), the Defense Technology Quality Agency, and KAI.During the session, DAPA outlined the projec...