Hanwha Aerospace has entered into a new agreement with GE Aerospace to procure advanced engine kits for South Korea’s FA-50 fighter jets and KUH-1 Surion helicopters. The deal, reported by local media, underscores Seoul’s ongoing push to expand domestic production of key defense systems.
As part of the contract, Hanwha will receive 40 F404 engine kits for the FA-50 Golden Eagle, including its trainer and light attack variants, and 88 T700 engine kits for the KUH-1 Surion helicopter. These kits will support South Korea’s increasing production demands as the FA-50 gains new export orders and the Surion continues to serve across the nation’s military units.
GE Aerospace will handle the initial production of critical components, after which Hanwha Aerospace will conduct assembly, testing, and quality assurance in South Korea. The completed engines will then be supplied to Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) for final integration into the aircraft platforms. This collaboration further cements the longstanding industrial partnership between GE and Hanwha in powering South Korea’s indigenous aircraft programs.
The F404 engine, with over 13 million flight hours globally, powers several light combat and trainer jets, including the F/A-18 Hornet and HAL Tejas. Similarly, the T700 engine has logged more than 100 million hours and serves in multiple helicopter models such as the Black Hawk and Apache, providing proven performance and reliability for the Surion fleet.
