Government to Promote Domestic Helicopters... Also Developing Military Hydrogen Fuel Cells

Ministry of Industry and Ministry of National Defense Hold the 9th Defense Industry Development Council Meeting

Domestic utility helicopter 'Surion.'
Photo by Asia Economy DB

[Asia Economy Sejong=Reporter Lee Junhyeong] The government is promoting improvements in the procurement methods of official-use helicopters to revitalize the domestic helicopter market. It is also developing military hydrogen fuel cell systems for carbon neutrality.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Ministry of National Defense announced on the 7th that Ministers Moon Seung-wook and Seo Wook jointly chaired the 9th Defense Industry Development Council at the Government Sejong Convention Center. The council discussed ▲plans to expand the use of domestic helicopters ▲strategies to secure hydrogen fuel cell propulsion systems for mobile weapons ▲plans to promote civilian-military cooperative demonstration projects for e-Fuel (regenerative synthetic fuel).

On the same day, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy proposed establishing an integrated follow-up support system for military and government helicopters, expanding the scope of civilian use of military-derived helicopters, and improving the procurement methods of official-use helicopters. This is to expand the domestic market for domestic helicopters and support their entry into overseas markets. Departments related to helicopter procurement, including the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the National Police Agency, and the Fire Agency, which attended the council, reached a consensus on the need to expand official procurement of domestic helicopters.

Official helicopter operating agencies requested continuous interest in performance upgrades and localization of parts for domestic helicopters. In response, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration stated that they will continuously strive to provide follow-up support such as localization of helicopter gearboxes.

The plan to develop military hydrogen fuel cells was also disclosed. At the council, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration announced plans to promote carbon neutrality based on hydrogen fuel cells for military mobile weapon systems. According to the plan, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration will develop hydrogen fuel cell systems by applying key domestic civilian technologies leading the hydrogen economy to the defense sector. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy will support the establishment of a cooperative system between civilian institutions such as the Korea Automotive Technology Institute and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration. Additionally, through this year's materials and components technology development project, it will support the development of hydrogen fuel cells and electrification propulsion systems for 20-ton class wheeled armored vehicles.

Demonstration of regenerative synthetic fuel will also begin. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy is consulting with the Ministry of National Defense, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, and oil companies on plans to demonstrate core technologies for regenerative synthetic fuel production and pilot apply them to military strategic assets. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy plans to concretize this plan and promote it as a civilian-military technology cooperation project. If the military demonstration confirms the possibility of replacing fossil fuels with regenerative synthetic fuel, it is expected to be more widely used as a means of carbon neutrality.

Minister Moon said, "It is a time when the advancement of the defense industry is necessary to prepare for future battlefields utilizing advanced technologies as well as the decrease in manpower resources due to declining birth rates," adding, "Civil-military technological cooperation in advanced technology fields such as space must be strengthened." Minister Moon also added, "Core materials, parts, and equipment of weapon systems must be localized so that national security is not dependent on other countries."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.