South Korea

Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.

Innospace says it has completed qualification testing for the Hanbit-Nano first-stage engine, clearing the way for the inaugural flight of the two-stage rocket.

South Korea has unveiled a multi-phase roadmap for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) adoption, mandating the start of blending for international flights in 2027.

South Korean rocket provider Innospace says it has signed an agreement to conduct two satellite launches for Media Broadcast Satellite.

South Korea is preparing to launch two new military jet engine development programs next year.

South Korean LCC T’way Air will be rebranded as Trinity Airways in the first half of 2026, following its acquisition by Daemyung Sono Group in June.

South Korea says it has advanced its hypersonic weapons program with a successful test of its HyCore technology demonstrator, achieving speeds of up to Mach 6.

South Korean drone startup Pablo Air has merged with Volk.

South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace and WB Group are establishing a joint venture to localize production of the CGR-080 surface-to-surface missile in Poland.

Alongside Hanwha Systems and local artificial intelligence company Funzin, Korea Aerospace Industries has set up an AI-Electronic Warfare Research Center.

The military alliance between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States faces formidable challenges four years after its establishment.

Hanwha Aviation has secured more firepower to support its ambitious portfolio growth plans following a financing deal with KEB Hana Bank.

KAI has revealed a standoff jammer aircraft based on the Bombardier Global 6500 business jet, developed in partnership with Hanwha Systems.

Six U.S. allies in the Asia-Pacific region have increased their military spending by a combined 18.9% over the last three years.

South Korea's LIG Nex1 is self-funding development of two modular missile types aimed at competing with MBDA’s Spear and Kongsberg’s Joint Strike Missile.

Interstellar Technologies of Japan says it has signed five customers for its first Zero rocket launch, anticipated in 2027.

When it comes to buying fighters, Jakarta is once again shuffling the deck.

Hanwha Systems has rolled out the first mass-produced active, electronically scanned array (AESA) radar for the KAI KF-21 fighter.

Emirati defense firm Edge Group has completed 75% of the development of its SkyKnight short-range air defense system.

Hanwha Aerospace has signed a technology transfer agreement with the Korea Aerospace Research Institute for the Nuri Korea Space Launch Vehicle-II.

South Korea has identified MUM-T as a critical enabler for future attack helicopter operations, as KAI's Marine Attack Helicopter continues validation trials.

Boeing says it is still pursuing South Korea’s AEW requirement after the U.S. government’s failure to submit a formal offer in the third and latest round of bidding threw an E-7 proposal into doubt.

South Korea's Innospace says it has taken another step toward the inaugural launch of its Hanbit-Nano rocket by the year's end.

KAI has revealed a conceptual design for a carrier-based UCAV, developed in support of the Republic of Korea Navy’s future drone carrier program.

Boeing could be out of the running for South Korea's program to buy new airborne early warning aircraft after failing to submit a bid in the latest round.