Hanwha Aerospace has signed an agreement with GE Aerospace to buy new engine kits for South Korea’s homegrown fighter aircraft and helicopters, according to local media.
Under the agreement, Hanwha will purchase 40 F404 engine kits for the FA-50 Golden Eagle and its subvariants, TA-50 and T-50, as well as 88 T700 engine kits for the KUH-1 Surion helicopter.
GE Aerospace will manufacture the engine components, while Hanwha will assemble and test the parts before sending the assembled packages to FA-50 and KUH-1 developer Korea Aerospace Industries for installation.
The F404 engine has recorded over 13 million flight hours globally and is known for reliability and ease of maintenance.
It is widely used in light fighters and trainer jets such as the F/A-18 Hornet and the Indian Tejas, in addition to the FA-50 line.
Meanwhile, the T700 engine has logged more than 100 million flight hours worldwide and powers a range of military helicopters, including the UH-60 Black Hawk and AH-64 Apache.
Broader Cooperation
The partnership reflects a long-standing collaboration between Hanwha and GE, which have worked together on engine programs for Seoul’s locally built aircraft for decades and assisted the East Asian country in reducing its dependence on foreign suppliers.
“GE Aerospace remains committed to supporting Korea’s indigenous military aircraft programs … with our proven and advanced engines,” GE Aerospace Defense & Systems VP Rita Flaherty said, as quoted by Business Korea.
Sun Kim, senior executive and president at Hanwha Aero Engine Business Group, added that the latest deal “deepens our partnership with GE Aerospace, allowing both companies to contribute to the advancement of Korea’s growing defense capabilities and competitiveness.”
