Lankan Ranger
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South Korea Defence Industry
The state-run Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced earlier this year that Korean defense exports in 2009 reached an all-time high of USD 1.17 billion, following several years of unprecedented growth. While modest relative to major defense exporting nations, the Korean defense industry achieved such a milestone during the height of the global economic crisis.
While Korea began exporting defense products in 1975, export figures only began soaring in 2006. Increasing from USD 253 million in 2006 to USD 845 million in 2007, the export figure broke the elusive USD 1 billion barrier in 2008 for the first time in history.
The increasing export figures may be attributed to the increasing number of foreign customers and growing array of internationally attractive defense products. Having exported to 46 countries in 2007, the figure grew to 59 in 2008, and 74 in 2009.
In 2009, the United States (US) was the single largest export destination with USD 390 million worth of exported products which included, among others, ammunitions, parts for aircraft engines and communications equipment, as well as wings for the A-10 Thunderbolt II.
The highest grossing export products for 2009 were USD 224 million worth of ammunitions to 18 countries, followed by USD 85 million worth of communications equipment to Iraq, USD 75 million submarine overhaul contract with Indonesia, and approximately USD 65 million submarine combat management system to Germany.
A discouraging indication may be evident in that ammunitions, a less sophisticated product type, continue to constitute a rather large proportion of exported defense products. Korea may expand and eventually solidify its footing in the international defense export market should its defense contractors exhibit greater ambition in exporting more sophisticated platforms and weapons systems.
Providing potential to break this trend, or what has become more of a tradition, are the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) T-50 5th generation trainer jet, the Samsung Techwin K-9 self-propelled artillery, and various naval ship export opportunities. And, the Korean defense industry may see export success in all three product areas in 2010. In turn, DAPA's 2010 export projection was raised to USD 1.5 billion, a 28% increase from 2009.
The T-50 and the K-9 have been reported as candidates for sale in 2010 to Singapore and Australia, respectively. However, the most likely deal to be signed in 2010 may be the export of a single unit Patrol Killer eXperimental (PKX) guided missile fast attack craft. Known in the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) as the Yun Yeong-Ha class, Korean media reports indicate that export of the 450-ton ship to Kazakhstan may be imminent. A media report also indicated potential export to Azerbaijan.
http://koreanweapons.blogspot.com/
The state-run Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced earlier this year that Korean defense exports in 2009 reached an all-time high of USD 1.17 billion, following several years of unprecedented growth. While modest relative to major defense exporting nations, the Korean defense industry achieved such a milestone during the height of the global economic crisis.
While Korea began exporting defense products in 1975, export figures only began soaring in 2006. Increasing from USD 253 million in 2006 to USD 845 million in 2007, the export figure broke the elusive USD 1 billion barrier in 2008 for the first time in history.
The increasing export figures may be attributed to the increasing number of foreign customers and growing array of internationally attractive defense products. Having exported to 46 countries in 2007, the figure grew to 59 in 2008, and 74 in 2009.
In 2009, the United States (US) was the single largest export destination with USD 390 million worth of exported products which included, among others, ammunitions, parts for aircraft engines and communications equipment, as well as wings for the A-10 Thunderbolt II.
The highest grossing export products for 2009 were USD 224 million worth of ammunitions to 18 countries, followed by USD 85 million worth of communications equipment to Iraq, USD 75 million submarine overhaul contract with Indonesia, and approximately USD 65 million submarine combat management system to Germany.
A discouraging indication may be evident in that ammunitions, a less sophisticated product type, continue to constitute a rather large proportion of exported defense products. Korea may expand and eventually solidify its footing in the international defense export market should its defense contractors exhibit greater ambition in exporting more sophisticated platforms and weapons systems.
Providing potential to break this trend, or what has become more of a tradition, are the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) T-50 5th generation trainer jet, the Samsung Techwin K-9 self-propelled artillery, and various naval ship export opportunities. And, the Korean defense industry may see export success in all three product areas in 2010. In turn, DAPA's 2010 export projection was raised to USD 1.5 billion, a 28% increase from 2009.
The T-50 and the K-9 have been reported as candidates for sale in 2010 to Singapore and Australia, respectively. However, the most likely deal to be signed in 2010 may be the export of a single unit Patrol Killer eXperimental (PKX) guided missile fast attack craft. Known in the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) as the Yun Yeong-Ha class, Korean media reports indicate that export of the 450-ton ship to Kazakhstan may be imminent. A media report also indicated potential export to Azerbaijan.
http://koreanweapons.blogspot.com/
