Page 6 - Defense & Security 2023 - Day 3

KAI Seeks Further Inroads into

Southeast Asian Defence Market

South Korean defence major Korea the highlights of the recent ADEX, with the According to CEO of KAI, Kang Goo-young,
Aerospace Industries (KAI), which is at two-seat test aircraft making its public flu- Southeast Asia is a core market for the
the center of the exponential growth of the ing debut at the Show. The combat jet is South Korean defence industry, as it has
country’s defence industry, is showcasing stealthier than any fourth-generation fighter proven the global competitiveness of
its range of products at the ongoing Show. but does not carry weapons in internal bays domestically produced aircraft such as
like fifth-generation fighters. According to KT-1 and T-50. He added that the company
reports, the company plans to introduce intends to strengthen partnerships with
According to company officials, the event is internal bays later. In April 2021, the first Southeast Asian countries and expand its
of critical importance in view of the growing prototype of the jet was completed and
interest in its products in Southeast Asia. unveiled. The first test flight of the fight- presence in future business areas, including
Several meetings with official delegations er was conducted on 19 July last year. unmanned and manned combined systems.
from various countries in the region have Manufacturing scheduled to begin in 2026.
been scheduled during the event to discuss At least 40 aircraft are planned to be deliv- South Korea has Southeast Asian countries
potential sales. The company is showcasing ered by 2028, with South Korea expecting to to thank for its speedy ascent into the list of
its diverse lineup of fixed-wing and rota- deploy a total of 120 of the aircraft by 2032. top-ten global defence suppliers. Indonesia,
ry-wing aircraft, including the KF-21, FA-50, The company expects heavy international its biggest weapons importer in the region,
LAH, and KUH. KT-1 and T-50 are part of the demand for the jet as it is significantly less accounts for 55% of the country’s defence
military aircraft fleet of many ASEAN coun- expensive than the F-35 or other comparable exports to the region over the past two
tries, and the company is confident about combat aircraft. decades, having signed defence contracts
making further inroads into the market. worth more than US$4.5bn since 2001.
Southeast Asia is a vital market for KAI. South Korea sold US$17.3 billion worth of
KAI, which presented the concept of The company has exported as many as 86 arms and equipment sales last year. In the
manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) at aircraft to customers in the region, includ- last 22 years, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar,
the recently concluded ADEX 2023 in Seoul, ing 22 T-50 series aircraft to Indonesia, 12 the Philippines and Thailand have signed
is highlighting the concept again at the to the Philippines, 14 to Thailand and 18 deals worth more than US$8.2bn with com-
ongoing Show. MUM-T, in both aerial and to Malaysia. As many as 20 KT-1 aircraft panies in the country. In 2022, South Korea
and the Association of Southeast Asian
naval domains, is a concept that is gaining have been acquired by Indonesia. Apart
in popularity among all major militaries, from these aircraft and the KF-21, compa- Nations (ASEAN) announced the Korea-
irrespective of region. ny officials expect the LAH, KUH-1 Surion, ASEAN Solidarity Initiative that includes
and well as its unmanned and manned not just joint military exercises but also
combined systems to have multiple takers maritime, cyber and defence-industrial
The KF-21 Boromae fighter jet was among in the region. cooperation.

6 NOVEMBER-08-2023 WWW.GBP.COM.SG/DAILY NEWS