Hanwha Aerospace Signs Supply Contract Worth 240 Billion KRW with UK VA

On the 18th, Hanwha Aerospace and Vertical signed a UAM parts contract at the Hanwha booth at ADEX 2023. Moon Seung-hak, Head of the Electric Propulsion System Division at Hanwha Aerospace (right), and Michael Sebvenca, CTO of Vertical, are taking a commemorative photo. Photo by Hanwha Aerospace

Hanwha Aerospace announced on the 19th that it has signed a parts contract worth approximately 235.6 billion KRW with Vertical Aerospace (VA), a global urban air mobility (UAM) specialist, at Korea's largest aerospace and defense industry exhibition, Seoul ADEX 2023.

Through this contract, Hanwha Aerospace will supply the Tilting & Blade Pitch System applied to VA's 4-seat electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, the VX4, until 2036.

This system is a core component of UAM that transmits motor power to the propellers and adjusts the flight direction and thrust of the UAM, enabling both vertical takeoff and landing as well as horizontal movement.

Previously, in August last year, the two companies signed a development and supply contract worth approximately 219.2 billion KRW for electric motor actuators (EMA) that control UAM operations using rotational power from electric motors. This new contract was made as an integrated agreement following VA's request for additional parts supply alongside the existing EMA, bringing the total contract amount to about 454.8 billion KRW.

VA is currently developing the VX4 with a goal of commercialization by 2026. It has already secured pre-orders for more than 1,450 units from global aviation operators.

Moon Seung-hak, head of the Electric Propulsion System Division at Hanwha Aerospace, said, "Following the EMA, the additional contract for the Tilting & Blade Pitch System demonstrates global recognition of our capabilities in developing and producing core UAM components. We will secure overwhelming competitiveness in key parts for the future mobility sector."

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