The government will develop an advanced aircraft engine with a thrust of 16,000 lbf (pound-force), aimed at localizing fighter jet engines.
On the 21st, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) held the 25th-1 Advanced Technology Business Management Committee at the government complex in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, and stated that it reviewed a 'basic plan for advanced aircraft engine development' that includes the target performance, business method, and timeline for engines needed for next-generation weapons systems. If successful, it could achieve higher performance than the U.S. General Electric (GE) engine (17,770 lbf) used in the domestically produced supersonic fighter jet KF-21.
DAPA predicted that it would take about 14 years until the advanced engine is flight-ready, with a budget of 3.35 trillion won expected to be invested. DAPA plans to promote a feasibility study considering the project timeline and budget scale after discussions and reviews with related agencies.
On the same day, DAPA confirmed the 2025 Future Challenge Defense Technology Project Promotion Plan. According to the plan, it decided to expand planning and investment in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), manned and unmanned complex systems, quantum technology, advanced materials, and energy.
The projects selected by DAPA at this committee include a 'vertical multi-purpose unmanned underwater vehicle' that can be mounted on submarines, a display for the fighter jet canopy (a clear covering for the cockpit), and 'advanced aircraft engine high-temperature base technology' for next-generation weapons systems. The military authorities plan to initiate development within this year.
Han Kyung-ho, head of DAPA's Future Power Business Division, noted, 'We will actively support the Future Challenge Defense Technology Project to secure technological dominance in future battlefields,' adding that 'it will lead to the strengthening of South Korea's defense industry's global competitiveness in the future.'