Commerce, California-based FDH Aero said it has entered into a memorandum of understanding with the city of Sacheon in South Korea to jointly support the country’s space exploration goals established under the Korea AeroSpace Administration. Launched in May, the Sacheon-based KASA aims to accomplish moon and Mars landings in the next two decades and develop...
Tag: South Korea
Indopacom Chief Broaches Possibility of Nuclear-Powered Submarines in SKorea
The newly appointed commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said South Korea may acquire nuclear-powered submarines in the future amid increasing tension with neighboring North Korea. In an interview with South Korean reporters on Thursday, Adm. Samuel Paparo said the possibility of introducing SSNs in the region depends on the result of its operational analysis. “From...
Korea Aerospace Industries to Begin KF-21 Fighter Delivery in 2026 Under $1.4B Contract
Korea Aerospace Industries targets delivering the first 20 KF-21 Boramae Block I fighter jets to the South Korean government by the end of 2026. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration awarded the company a $1.41 billion production contract in June to manufacture the Block I batch of the aircraft, which KAI has been developing since 2015...
Report: New Zealand Defense Spending Cut May Derail AUKUS Phase 2 Plans
A proposed 6.6 percent cut in New Zealand’s defense budget could stall the Oceanian nation’s bid to join the AUKUS military alliance, according to a Reuters report on Wednesday. Wellington is planning to reduce its proposed defense spending for the year ending June 2025 to $3.03 billion from the current year’s $3.25 billion, based on...
UK, South Korea Conduct Joint Maritime Patrol to Enforce UN Sanctions Against North Korea
The United Kingdom said the Royal Navy recently conducted maritime patrols around the Korean Peninsula. British sailors on the HMS Spey offshore patrol vessel sailed the region alongside their South Korean counterparts to enforce the United Nations Security Council Resolutions against North Korea. Since 2006, the UNSC has imposed nine major sanctions on Pyongyang over...
South Korea Signs Off on 4 New Weapons Programs Worth $4.6B
South Korea is looking to invest around $4.6 billion to build its defense capabilities by acquiring new weapons systems through the late 2030s. On Friday, the country’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration approved defense spending plans for new SM-3 missiles and four frigates and the local development of an air-to-air missile. While DAPA said the two...
US, South Korea Kick Off Freedom Shield With 12 UN Command Members
The United States and South Korea have started the 2024 Freedom Shield Exercise to boost their defenses against North Korean threats. The exercise began amid Pyongyang’s continued aggressive military activities, such as artillery firings and missile launches. Yonhap News Agency reported that joining the 11-day exercise that kicked off Monday are military elements from the...
United States Authorizes South Korea’s $170.6M Purchase of Subsonic Sea-Skimming Aerial Targets
The United States has approved the potential sale of subsonic sea-skimming aerial targets to the government of South Korea. According to a press release from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, Korea requested five BQM-177A SSATs, typically used during military training, for its Aegis destroyers. The potential $170.6 million purchase includes GQM-163 target drones, training and...
Iridium Satellite Connectivity to Boost South Korean Military Communication
South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense has integrated Iridium Communications’ global satellite connectivity solutions into the Republic of Korea Army‘s operations. Iridium said Arion Communication, the McLean, Virginia-based company’s service provider in South Korea since 2015, and MND’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration are facilitating the integration through deliveries of over 1,000 Iridium Connected SAT-PRE devices...
Austal Drops Hanwha Ocean’s Acquisition Proposal
Austal, a global shipbuilding company and defense prime contractor based in Australia, has rejected a $2.82-per-share acquisition offer from Hanwha Ocean. According to Austal, it considered the proposal with its advisers and concluded that Hanwha may encounter difficulties securing regulatory approvals as part of the acquisition process. In a press release, Austal explained that the...