KAI Takes On Domestic Development of "Submarine Killer" Maritime Patrol Aircraft

Shortage Expected After 2030 Due to Aging Fleet
Collaboration Underway with Multiple Domestic Specialists
Core Components Must Be Based on Domestic Technology
Long-Term Maintenance Cost Savings and Export Advantages
Military to Decide

Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), which recently lost out in the electronic warfare aircraft bidding race, has announced its intention to participate in the localization project for maritime patrol aircraft, often referred to as "submarine killers." As the Navy's current fleet of maritime patrol aircraft ages, the number of available units is expected to fall far short after 2030. KAI is preparing for this project with a five-year outlook.

The 'Korean Maritime Patrol Aircraft' displayed at the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) booth at the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition (ADEX) 2025, held at Kintex in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, from the 20th to the 24th. Photo by Shim Sunga

On October 20, a senior KAI official met with a reporter at Kintex in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, where the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition (ADEX) is being held, and stated, "A maritime patrol aircraft is a complex platform that integrates various systems such as electronic warfare equipment, acoustic, and non-acoustic systems. We are collaborating with several domestic specialized companies to showcase Korea's research and development capabilities." He added, "Japan operates between 80 and 100 maritime patrol aircraft, even though its coastline is twice as long as ours. In contrast, we only have 22, so to fill the gap in our defense capabilities, we need to secure more maritime patrol aircraft." He further explained, "The technological level of domestic companies has already reached the point where independent research and development is possible, and we have been conducting preliminary research for several years."

In this regard, Kim Junghan, Executive Director of KAI's Fixed-Wing Business Division, emphasized, "While achieving 100% localization may be difficult, it is essential that the core components are based on domestic technology. In the defense industry, where there are many restrictions such as export approvals, technological self-reliance is directly linked to competitiveness." He also stated that developing the aircraft domestically would be much more advantageous for exports.

The Navy currently operates 21 maritime patrol aircraft, including 15 P-3C/CKs and 6 P-8A Poseidons. In May, one P-3CK maritime patrol aircraft crashed at the Pohang base in North Gyeongsang Province. This aircraft, manufactured in 1968, had been in operation for an astonishing 57 years. The Navy plans to retire all P-3CK maritime patrol aircraft in the 2030s. To maintain constant surveillance over the 300,000 square kilometer operational area-9.5 times the length of the Demilitarized Zone and 3.3 times the size of South Korea-additional acquisitions are inevitable. The military is expected to decide in the first half of next year whether to directly purchase more maritime patrol aircraft from overseas or to develop them domestically. It is known that KAI is proposing a domestically developed maritime patrol aircraft based on the Swordfish model from Sweden's Saab.

The senior KAI official commented, "It would take about seven years to develop a maritime patrol aircraft from scratch, but even purchasing a Poseidon from overseas would require six years." He continued, "The Korean maritime patrol aircraft can be operated with fewer personnel, which is important given the decreasing population and shrinking military manpower. We have also reduced the takeoff and landing distance to accommodate shorter runways at domestic airfields. If all components, including avionics and sensors, are produced with domestic technology, long-term maintenance costs will be significantly reduced."

However, if the U.S. administration under Donald Trump pressures South Korea to purchase American-made weapons, localization efforts may face significant challenges. The South Korean government has a precedent of purchasing U.S. weapons during the first Trump administration. In November 2017, when President Trump visited South Korea for a summit meeting, he pushed for an increase in defense cost-sharing and requested the purchase of American-made weapons, which accelerated the procurement process. As a result, large-scale acquisitions such as the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS), F-35A fighter jets, Global Hawk high-altitude unmanned reconnaissance aircraft, and P-8A maritime patrol aircraft were made.

During the Korea-U.S. summit with President Lee Jaemyung in August, President Trump also remarked, "Korea is a major buyer of U.S. military equipment," and expressed his expectation that Korea would continue to purchase a significant amount of advanced American military equipment. The government is reportedly reviewing a list of U.S. weapons purchases worth $25 billion (approximately 34 trillion won) by 2030 as part of efforts to strengthen national defense and enhance security cooperation with the United States.

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