Hanwha Systems' AESA Radar Receives 'Provisionally Suitable for Combat Use' Certification

Hanwha Systems' active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar has received a 'provisional combat suitability' certification and is now approaching mass production procedures.

According to Hanwha Systems on the 19th, the 'provisional combat suitability' certification is a procedure to simultaneously promote system development and mass production in order to rapidly operationalize weapon systems that require a long period from development to mass production. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) plans to begin the first mass production of the KF-21 soon, obtain the 'final combat suitability' certification by 2026, and deliver it to the Air Force starting in the second half of 2026.

The AESA radar, developed purely with domestic technology, is a core equipment of future fighter jets performing various missions such as ▲detection and tracking of multiple air, ground, and sea targets ▲image formation ▲support for close combat engagement.

Hanwha Systems has supported the Agency for Defense Development to successfully complete the KF-21’s first flight test by ▲verifying performance through hardware prototype demonstration ▲conducting flight tests on test aircraft before installation on the prototype, progressively verifying performance and functions within a short development period to enhance completeness. Based on this, it was mounted on the KF-21 prototype and successfully completed additional flight tests last April.

Park Hyuk, Head of Hanwha Systems’ Surveillance and Reconnaissance Division, said, “With this 'provisional combat suitability' certification, Hanwha Systems has laid the foundation to begin full-scale mass production of the first AESA radar to be installed on the first domestically produced fighter jet.” He added, “This is expected to be an opportunity to replace overseas mechanical radars on domestically produced fighter jets, including the FA-50, with domestic radars in the future, as well as to pioneer new markets in the overseas advanced radar sector.”

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