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| The Korean Navy's AW-159 Wildcat maritime helicopter conducts an anti-submarine warfare exercise with a frigate. Courtesy of Leonardo |
Italian firm deepens ties with Korean partners
By Kang Seung-woo
Leonardo, an Italian company specializing in aerospace, defense and security, is coming to Korea to participate in Defense Expo Korea (DX Korea) with a view to extending its offers to help Seoul boost its national security.
DX Korea is a biennial defense fair and it is scheduled to take place Wednesday through Sunday at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province.
Although the Korean military has been heavily relying on U.S. military equipment, the Italian firm, headquartered in Rome, has been maintaining deep relations with Korea for more than half a century by providing advanced tailor-made solutions to its customers from individual products to integrated systems and platforms.
For example, Korea has operated Leonardo technologies including helicopters, radars, communication and surveillance systems for airborne and naval applications and naval defense systems since the early 1990s. In addition, it has run its Seoul office since 2013 as part of its efforts to reinforce its local relationships and promote cooperation with the Korean industry and operators.
Leonardo is best known here for its delivery of Super Lynx and AW-159 maritime operation helicopters to the Korean Navy.
In the 1990s, the Korean Navy purchased a total of 25 Super Lynx choppers ― 12 in 1991 and 13 in 1997 ― and the military branch also took delivery of eight AW-159 Wildcats in 2016 to enhance its anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare capabilities.
Also, Leonardo has expanded its presence in the commercial sector by offering the AW-139, the best-selling search and rescue (SAR) and firefighting helicopter in its category, to local governments for fire rescue, police and coastguard operations.
In addition, the company has entered Korea in numerous fields and is maintaining a cooperative relationship between the Korean government and various companies, also by actively performing follow-up logistics management for helicopters in operation.
Leonardo's successful partnerships with various Korean manufacturers have already enabled the platform integration of multiple systems, such as the unrivalled 76/62 Super Rapid multi-feeding gun mount that is a light weight, rapid-fire naval gun for air defense and anti-surface operations, for domestic and export customers and the company contributes to the export of local naval products worldwide.
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| Leonardo's RAT 31DL 3D surveillance radar / Courtesy of Leonardo |
Leonardo offers multi-domain radar solutions
Leonardo, showing off multiple radar portfolios, will bring some key elements of its homeland protection technologies to DX Korea, including its RAT 31DL, a 3D surveillance radar that is designed to operate as part of a modern military air defense system.
With an eye toward constantly evolving tactical-strategic scenarios, the company has invested in the development and design of cutting-edge solutions for naval, land and air security, with its offering of active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars also including the Kronos family and the brand new, fully digitalized Tactical Multi-Mission Radar (TMMR). The former is state-of-the-art, multifunctional and multi-mission radars for land and naval air surveillance and defense, while the latter is a multi-domain radar, designed to detect, classify and track small and high manoeuvring targets.
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| Leonardo's Miysis Directed Infrared Countermeasure / Courtesy of Leonardo |
The company is also offering its BriteCloud countermeasure, which packs latest-generation jamming technology into a compact expendable that can be launched from standard dispensers, providing latest-generation protection from radar-guided surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles.
In the land domain, Leonardo is presenting its highly effective, highly accurate Vulcano 155-milimeter long-range ammunition, available in ballistic extended range (BER) and guided long range (GLR) variants, which can reach distances up to 70 kilometres. Also for land protection, Leonardo is promoting its Hitfact Mk II turret and other state-of-the-art equipment for armoured vehicles.
As the only European company able to deliver a complete unmanned aerial system, from the platform and sensors to the ground control station and mission system, Leonardo is also highlighting its rotary-wing AWHERO, a dual-use unmanned platform able to perform civil and defence operations day and night, over land and sea. The company is also highlighting its capabilities in next-generation vertical take-off and landing aircraft.
