Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) announced on the 23rd that it participated in the defense exhibition (IQDEX 2025) held in Iraq from the 19th to the 22nd.
KAI, which conducted marketing activities for additional exports to the Middle East and North Africa markets, showcased its main models, including the KF-21, FA-50, and light armed helicopter. It also displayed unmanned combat aircraft and multipurpose drones that would be operated alongside.
At this exhibition, KAI presented a manned and unmanned integrated system that includes the Surion and Miron helicopters capable of identifying and destroying targets while in flight. This showcased the future operational concepts for both fixed-wing and rotorcraft aviation.
The Middle East traditionally imports U.S. and European weapons systems. KAI has noted that it is gradually turning its attention toward Korean weapons systems, which have advantages in reliability and scalability, as it feels limitations in follow-up support and performance upgrades in this region. In addition, major countries in the Middle East and Africa are actively seeking to enhance their defense capabilities amid an unstable security situation.
As the demand for replacing aging aircraft overlaps, interest in Korean aircraft platforms, such as the FA-50, KF-21, and Surion, is also increasing. In particular, Iraq is increasing its import of Korean products, including finalizing a contract worth 135.8 billion won for the Surion with KAI in December last year based on its partnership with KAI regarding the introduction of the T-50.
KAI said, "Based on our diversified export platforms, we will expand exports of our main models in the Middle East and Africa while strengthening partnerships with various countries for future projects."