KAI, Hyundai Rotem to team up on long-range air-to-air missiles for KF-21

Cho Hyung-jun, left, head of Hyundai Rotem's Aero Defense & Robot Hydrogen business division, and Kim Yong-min, head of Korean Aerospace Industries's business division, pose after signing a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the airborne weapons business at KAI's headquarters in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province, Wednesday. Courtesy of Hyundai Rotem

Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) and Hyundai Rotem said Thursday they have agreed to jointly develop and integrate long-range air-to-air missiles for the KF-21 fighter jet and explore opportunities to export aircraft and weapons packages to global markets.

The two companies signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on airborne weapons cooperation at KAI's headquarters in the southeastern city of Sacheon on Wednesday.

Under the agreement, the companies will cooperate on the development and systems integration of aircraft platforms, including the KF-21, and airborne weapons, including long-range air-to-air missiles.

They will also explore package-type export models combining aircraft with onboard weapons and cooperate in identifying business opportunities at home and abroad, as well as in global marketing.

The MOU signing comes as Hyundai Rotem is stepping up efforts to expand beyond ground weapon systems into the aerospace sector, including the development of propulsion systems, long-range air-to-air guided weapons and hypersonic flight vehicles.

Korea formally completed the development of its homegrown KF-21 earlier this year, a little over a decade after officially kicking off the 8.8 trillion-won ($6.04 billion) project.

KAI plans to deliver the first batch of 40 KF-21 fighter jets to the Air Force by 2028. It aims to produce an additional 80 aircraft with enhanced capabilities by 2032, bringing the Air Force's total KF-21 fleet to 120 aircraft.