Leonardo has signed an MoU with Hanwha Systems of South Korea, to jointly provide avionics and mission systems for the Republic of Korea and other international customers.

The agreement, signed during the 2017 edition of the Seoul ADEX exhibition, will initially see the two companies working together to develop and deliver targeting systems. Leonardo is contributing expertise and experience gained from systems supplied fo the Eurofighter Typhoon and Saab Gripen E.

Leonardo plans to localise parts of sensor production with Hanwha Systems in South Korea and will help develop the company’s capabilities in a number of areas of advanced technology. 

In the field of IRST, Leonardo says it will be able to work with Hanwha Systems to deliver an effective sensor that can accurately recognise and track targets, even maintaining tracking on two separate targets that are very close together. The two companies also aim to offer a world-class electro-optical targeting system for Korea and export markets. 

The agreement will expand Leonardo’s activities in the Republic of Korea, which the company identifies as a strategic market. Leonardo has supplied its AW159 helicopters to the Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN), equipped with the company's Helicopter Defensive Aids Suite (HIDAS), Seaspray 7000E active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar and 'SAGE' electronic warfare equipment.

Approximately 50 Leonardo helicopters of various types are currently in service or on order for military, parapublic and commercial roles in the Republic of Korea.