South Korea Greenlights KDDX Warship, Spy Satellites, and Indigenous Fighter Engine Push

The 172nd meeting of the Defense Acquisition Program Promotion Committee was held on December 22 at the Ministry of National Defense. During the meeting, officials reviewed and approved key plans for the Korea Destroyer Next Generation (KDDX) program, the Military Reconnaissance Satellite-II program, and the development of an advanced indigenous aircraft engine.KDDX destroyer program approvedThe KDDX program aims to build South Korea’s firs...

South Korea Boosts Coastal Defense as HJ Shipbuilding Wins Contract for Four New Navy Patrol Boats

The company announced that it has signed a shipbuilding contract worth approximately USD 230 million (KRW 312.5 billion) with Defense Acquisition Program Administration following its selection as the preferred bidder for hull numbers 13–16 of the Gumdoksuri-B (Batch-II) program. The contract was finalized on December 17 after technical negotiations.With this award, HJ Shipbuilding has now secured all 16 vessels ordered to date under the Bat...

KF-21 Expands Strike Capability in $510M KAI Contract

The contract enables KAI to begin air-to-ground weapons testing before the completion of the KF-21 system development program, allowing for a continuous development and early operational transition. The program is scheduled to run through December 2028.Under the agreement, the KF-21’s mission profile will be expanded beyond its initial air-to-air focus to include precision air-to-ground strike capability. In parallel, KAI will conduct fligh...

Hanwha Systems Secures Boeing F-15 Avionics Contract, Marking First Entry into U.S. Defense Market

Hanwha Systems announced on December 18 that it has signed a contract with Boeing to supply the 'Eagle Large Area Display (ELAD)' for the Republic of Korea Air Force’s F-15K and the U.S. Air Force’s latest F-15EX fighter jets. This marks the first time Korean-developed avionics technology has been adopted for a U.S. frontline combat aircraft program.The achievement is the result of close cooperation between the South Korean go...

LIG Nex1 Launches Development of Cheongung-III (M-SAM Block-III), $160 Million Next-Generation Air Defense Program

On December 11, LIG Nex1 disclosed that it had signed a system development prototype contract worth approximately KRW 216.6 billion (about USD 160 million) for the M-SAM Block-III, also known as Cheongung-III. Under the contract, the company will lead system integration and develop key prototypes—including command, control, and engagement operation centers—through 2030.The M-SAM Block-III program is overseen by the Agency for Defense ...

ROK Navy Embarks Canadian Submariner on 3,000-Ton KSS-III During Silent Shark 2025

Until now, foreign officers and sailors have joined Korea’s Jang Bogo–class (SS-I) and Son Won-il–class (SS-II) submarines during major multinational exercises such as Silent Shark, RIMPAC, and PAC-REACH. These exchanges have long contributed to strengthened interoperability and deeper partnership-building between the ROK Navy and allied submarine forces.For this year’s exercise, the ROK Navy hosted Etienne Langlois, Maste...

Hyundai Rotem Secures Second Contract for K600 Combat Engineer Vehicles

The K600 is a specialized armored engineer vehicle designed to clear mines, rubble, and battlefield obstacles to secure mobility corridors for friendly forces. Equipped with a front-mounted mine plow, the platform can dig into and overturn soil to expose buried mines, while a magnetic mine neutralization system generates a strong electromagnetic field to trigger magnetically fused mines. Its excavator arm, mounted on the upper hull, can be fitted...

ROK Navy Launches Four New PKMR Batch-II Fast Attack Craft: Chamsuri-231, 232, 233, 235

Designed and built domestically, the 230-ton class PKMR (Patrol Boat Killer Medium Rocket) fast attack craft measures 45 meters in length and has been under construction since a contract was signed with HJ Shipbuilding in December 2022. The ships proceeded through steel-cutting in 2024 and keel-laying in January 2025 before reaching the launch stage this week.More than 70 officials from the Navy, Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA),...

Could SMRs Become the “Heart” of ROK’s Nuclear-Powered Submarine?

As interest grows around a Korean nuclear submarine, so too does attention toward Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) — one of the country’s key future energy and strategic technology initiatives. Some analysts now argue that SMRs could become a feasible propulsion option for the envisioned Korean nuclear submarine.Why SMRs Matter: Compact Size, Higher SafetyMost commercial reactors today use light-water reactor (LWR) technology, divided in...

LIG Nex1 Launches First Domestic Development of AESA Radar and UAV SAR Wideband Defense Semiconductors

The company announced on the 5th that it signed two research agreements with the Defense Technology Promotion Research Institute (DTPRI) on November 28. The projects include: Development of an X-band Common MMIC and Front-End Module Platform for AESA Radar, and Development of a Wideband Common MMIC and Front-End Module Platform for UAV SAR.The AESA radar semiconductors to be developed under this program are core components applicable to multi-fun...