Advanced Radar for South Korea's KF-21 Fighter Jet Enters Testing Phase

JAKARTA - South Korea's defense development agency late last month said it would launch a testing phase of an advanced radar system it is developing to be mounted on the KF-21 fighter jet in an effort to enable air, land and maritime missions.

The announcement was made as the Defense Development Agency (ADD) held a meeting to launch the evaluation phase for the active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, along with the defense ministry, the state arms procurement agency, and other related bodies.

This new radar system can detect and track targets on land or sea in air-to-surface and air-to-sea modes, and ADD is working to integrate it into the domestically produced KF-21 fighter jet by December 2028.

Once the testing is complete and the KF-21 fighter jet is equipped with a radar system, a multi-purpose weather mission involving air, land, and sea will be possible, quoted from The Korea Times (2/2).

Meanwhile, the air-to-air mode, which has gone through a trial phase, is expected to be applied to the KF-21 jet by the end of this year.

Previously, Hanwha Systems completed the launch of the first mass-produced active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar for South Korea's next-generation KF-21 fighter jet, marking a significant milestone in the country's efforts to develop advanced fighter jet avionics domestically in August last year, quoted from European Defence Review.

The launch ceremony, which was hosted by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) and organized by Hanwha Systems, was held on August 5 at the company's Yongin Research and Development Center.

After the initial production contract signed last year, Hanwha Systems completed the full agreement earlier this year. Under the program, the company will deliver 40 AESA radar units between 2025 and 2028 to be integrated into the KF-21.

Often referred to as the "eyes" of a fighter jet, AESA radars provide simultaneous multi-mission capabilities, including tracking air, ground, and maritime targets. Compared to conventional mechanical scanning radars, AESA technology allows for faster target acquisition, wider coverage, and improved survivability by simultaneously attacking multiple threats.

Hanwha Systems began developing this radar in 2016 and launched its first prototype in 2020 - just four years after development began - showing their homegrown radar capabilities to the global defense market.

"Hanwha Systems is the only company in Korea that has successfully developed, mass-produced, and exported AESA radar systems," said Hyuk Park, Head of the Defense Electronics Division (DE) of Hanwha Systems.

"We are expanding our global reach with radar solutions that are scalable and adaptable to a wide range of platforms - from light combat aircraft to unmanned aerial vehicles," he added.