The engine for the domestically produced supersonic fighter KF-21, which is expected to enter mass production next year, relies on the U.S. company General Electric (GE). Most domestic aircraft engines are dependent on foreign sources. Only five countries in the world possess aviation engine technology: the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, and China.
Experts believe that without domestic production of the engine, which is the heart of the aircraft, it will be difficult for the aerospace industry to develop. This is why the Defense Acquisition Program Administration decided to invest a massive 3.3 trillion won over 14 years. The Defense Research Institute reviewed the 'Basic Plan for Advanced Aircraft Engine Development' last January, officially formalizing government-level investment for the domestic production of fighter engines.
On the 12th in the engine test facility at Hanwha Aerospace's first business site in Changwon, Gyeongnam Province, the engine LM2500, which will be used in the Republic of Korea Navy's 7,000-ton Aegis destroyer (KDX-Ⅲ), was preparing for a test run. The LM2500 is derived from GE's CF6 aviation engine, and many of our naval vessels utilize this engine.
The duration for engine test runs takes about a week. The maintenance period is measured differently. Director General Kim Jong-cheol of Hanwha Aerospace's Production Technology Team said, "Typically, it takes about 1 to 2 years to begin engine maintenance." The long time taken for engine maintenance compared to test runs is due to the reliance on overseas technology and key components.
Director General Kim explained, "When the engine arrives for maintenance, we disassemble it and check the condition of each part. We then place orders for any necessary parts or materials, but it usually takes about a year to receive new parts and materials," adding, "Once the materials arrive, assembly takes a month, and a week is sufficient for test runs, but the long wait is due to the time it takes to receive components or materials from abroad."
This is why Hanwha Aerospace is taking the lead in domestic production of aircraft engines. Director General Kim noted, "60 to 70% of the total maintenance cost comes from imported material costs, but if we develop advanced engines ourselves, we can significantly reduce these material costs," and added, "I don't believe the gap in our capabilities compared to companies like GE and Pratt & Whitney (P&W) that develop engines is that large."
Hanwha Aerospace has accumulated considerable know-how while manufacturing engines for GE and P&W. Over the past 10 years, it has invested about 2 trillion won to acquire its own aircraft engine. The domestic production of guided weapon engines and medium-altitude unmanned aerial vehicle engines has already been initiated. In fact, efforts towards domestic production of engines can be seen at various locations in Hanwha Aerospace’s first business site in Changwon.
In the engine assembly factory, assembly was underway for the LM2500 engine for destroyers and the F404, F414 engines for aircraft. The F414 is an advanced engine that will be used in the KF-21 fighter jet, rated at 14,770 lbf (pound-force, engine output unit). The advanced engine Hanwha Aerospace is developing will be rated at 16,000 lbf. The F404 is used in the T-50 advanced trainer aircraft made by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI). Hanwha Aerospace has successfully localized 42 out of over 1,300 components of the F404.
To reduce the defect rate of the process, digital assembly procedures have also been introduced. The production of aviation engines is mostly manual. It often involves materials that cannot be welded, and the shapes may vary slightly based on parts or materials, making automation challenging. Because most of the work is manual, procedures are often documented in writing, but Hanwha Aerospace has digitized the assembly procedures into a three-dimensional (3D) format through its own investments.
This means that instead of reading from a document, workers can assemble while viewing 3D design plans on the monitor. Director General Kim stated, "We recorded all work procedures digitally to prevent any omissions" and added, "Since we can produce at most 30 to 40 aircraft engines a year, automation is not as easy as it is in automobile factories, but we are enhancing efficiency through digitization."
The engine parts fabrication plant, which directly processes components for aircraft engines, shows similar advancements. Upon entering the plant, the preconceived notions about the largely manual nature of aircraft production were shattered. It was difficult to spot any workers inside the spacious factory. The process of fabricating raw materials into aircraft components has already been significantly automated.
Inside the factory, automated guided vehicles (AGVs) were busily moving around. Engineers monitored the milling and lathe processing automation through screens installed throughout the facility. If a process shows a red light on the monitor, they check for problems and address them. However, during the 30 minutes spent at the factory, there was not a single situation that required human intervention.
Director General Jo Un-rae of Hanwha Aerospace's Engine Production Team mentioned, "When raw materials come in, they go through more than 40 processing steps to become actual parts," adding that "it is rare globally for an engine parts processing factory to be this automated."
The company is also increasing its investment in research personnel. Hanwha Aerospace plans to expand its research staff at the Pangyo Research Center from 200 to 500 by 2028 and is also establishing overseas research centers to attract foreign research talent.
Kim Jong-ho, head of the advanced engine business team at Hanwha Aerospace, stated, "We have been developing various engines ourselves since 10 years ago, and we have even succeeded in domestic production of engines with lower technical difficulty than fighter engines," adding, "Ultimately, our goal is to develop a 24,000 lbf-class turbofan engine to be installed in the KF-21's successor aircraft."
According to the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics & Trade (KIET), the production inducement effect of aviation engine development amounts to 68 trillion won. The employment inducement effect also reaches 100,000 jobs. Since most of the cost of aviation engines arises from the processing and production of materials and components, it can create jobs for numerous small and medium-sized enterprises.
Team Leader Kim noted, "From the fifth-generation fighter jets onward, related technology exports are thoroughly controlled," and added, "If we do not develop independent engines now, we will inevitably face hardships in the aerospace industry in the future." He continued, "Especially for aircraft engines, once developed, we can create various derivative engines for vessels, transport planes, and eco-friendly ships, which yields significant economic benefits."