“Wooosh whoooosh bang bang.”
The Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) latest fighter jet F-35A Lightning II and FA-18F Super Hornet squadron flew at low altitude, dropping simulated missiles before soaring into the sky. From the ground, the sound of explosions and huge flames erupted. This scene is from the airshow performed by the Australian military at the 'Avalon Airshow' held at Avalon Airport in Australia on the 27th (local time). The F-35A Lightning II, which turned sharply at 90 degrees right after takeoff, felt as if it broke free from the influence of gravity.
The long-range strategic transport aircraft C-17 attempted to land while zigzagging at low altitude despite its heavy weight of 265 tons. When the transport aircraft's door opened, about 20 armed Australian soldiers conducted operations while firing their weapons. A local military official noted, “This was a reproduction of an actual transport operation involving missiles, equipment, troops, and patients.” The low-altitude flight of the maritime patrol aircraft 'P-8A Poseidon', known as the submarine killer, and the aerial refueling aircraft 'KC-30A' was breathtaking.
◇ Display of over 400 aircraft including F-35
The Avalon Airshow is the largest defense exhibition in the Oceania region, held biennially. Various weapons were showcased, including combat aircraft, transport aircraft, drones, tanks, armored vehicles, and the ballistic missile upper-tier defense system (L-SAM).
The airshow also featured the propeller fighter 'Spitfire Mk VIII', which saw action during World War II. Utilizing the lightness of its airframe compared to jet-fighter aircraft, it performed agile aerobatics for about 20 minutes. Five aircraft flew in formation, trailing long smoke in a cross shape. When one aircraft appeared to lose its center in the sky, spiraling and diving before soaring back up just before crashing to the ground, the audience erupted in cheers.
On the ground, hundreds of military aircraft, civilian aircraft, and helicopters were displayed. The audience showed great interest in the C-17, which has a wingspan of 53 meters. Visitors could also see inside the aircraft, but had to stand in long lines to enter the cockpit.
This year's event saw participation from 907 companies from 28 countries, a 13% increase from 2023 (770 companies). About 290 representatives from governments, military, and industries attended. The number of displayed aircraft reached over 450.
The U.S. defense contractor Anduril unveiled a model of its unmanned combat aircraft 'Fury' under development. Balloons designed to deceive the enemy and combat aircraft, which recently caught attention in the Ukraine-Russia war, were also on display. These products are fakes created to mislead adversaries. Weighing only 43 kg, they can be deployed in 10 minutes to deceive foes. They generate heat, being detectable by the enemy's thermal cameras, yet they resemble real objects closely enough to be hard to distinguish even up close.
◇ Australia increases defense capabilities amid China's threat... Hanwha expands ecosystem
Recently, Australia has been expanding its defense budget to counter security threats, such as China’s military buildup, while focusing on the deployment of guided weapons, including missiles. In February, China conducted live-fire exercises in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand, causing dozens of civilian aircraft in the surrounding airspace to change their flight paths urgently.
In response, Australia plans to deplete its defense budget of 1 billion Australian dollars (925 billion won) early this year and expand its defense budget to 10.6 billion Australian dollars (about 9.8 trillion won) over the next four years. This could present opportunities for South Korean defense corporations.
Australia is considered a defense outpost for Hanwha Group. Last year, Hanwha completed a factory (H-ACE) in Geelong, near Avalon Airport, for the production of self-propelled artillery and armored vehicles. Among South Korean defense corporations, Hanwha is the only one with an overseas factory.
Hanwha Aerospace (Hanwha Aero) manufactures self-propelled artillery and armored vehicles to be delivered to Australia at H-ACE. Hanwha Aero aims to complete the second phase construction of H-ACE by 2026 and begin production of the 'Redback' armored vehicle. The Redback armored vehicle, for which contracts for 129 units were signed by 2023, is expected to begin full-scale production after the delivery of prototypes in the first half of 2026.
At this airshow, Hanwha Aero displayed a vehicle model of the multi-launch rocket Chunmoo. Chunmoo can fire 12 rockets with a range of 80 km. In comparison, the U.S. competitor Lockheed Martin's HIMARS can use up to six rounds at a range of 70 km. A crowd gathered at the Hanwha booth to see Chunmoo.
Hanwha System unveiled a command and control communication (C4I) integrated solution utilizing the 5G network. Currently, the Australian Ministry of National Defense is pushing forward with the next-generation military communication system construction project 'LAND 4140', which Hanwha aims to win. On the same day, Hanwha System also signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Australian electronics company GME.
A South Korean defense expert noted, “As a member of AUKUS (Australia-United Kingdom-United States security alliance), Australia can be acknowledged in the U.S. and European defense markets if it expands into Australia,” and added, “Australia is a market where Hanwha Group is focusing on efforts such as the export of K9 self-propelled artillery and Redback in addition to the acquisition of shipyards.”