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Republic of Korea Safran, South Korea’s longtime partner in aerospace and defense
For over 45 years, Safran has supported South Korea’s aviation, defense and space industries by providing critical equipment and technologies. To leverage the existing relationship and further support Korean organizations, Safran has launched operations in Seoul in 2014 with the creation of Safran Korea.
Our activities
Aviation
Safran equips Korean full-service carriers (Korean Air, Asiana Airline) and low-cost carriers (e.g. Jeju Air, T’way Air) with critical equipment: CFM56® and LEAP® engines provided by CFM International, landing gears, wheels & brakes, nacelles, avionics, wiring, safety equipment, seats, cabin interiors. Safran also powers public and parapublic helicopters.
Defense
Safran contributes to major Korean military programs for land, air, sea and space applications, providing key technologies aboard aircraft, helicopters, drones, surface ships, submarines, satellites, armoured and anti-aircraft vehicles, etc. South Korea is Safran’s largest export fleet of naval inertial navigation systems and vehicle sight systems.
Space
Safran supports important Korean space programs with our telescope mirrors onboard Korean earth observation satellites KOMPSAT-2 & 7, GOCI 1 and EOIRSat, and our telemetry and communication systems installed at KARI’s ground stations. With ArianeGroup, Safran also provides technologies to the Korean Space Launch Vehicles KSLV-1 and KSLV-2.
Our commitment to build longstanding relationships with our Korean partners
Our longstanding support to Korea sees Safran’s equipment and technologies onboard major aerospace and defense platforms developed in Korea, for land, sea, air and space applications. Numerous relationships have been created over 45 years, with major companies (e.g. KAI, Hanwha, DSME, HHI) and SMEs through local manufacturing, co-development, or strategic partnerships. Korea’s ambition to become a global player in aerospace and defense gives Safran even more opportunities to further support this ambition and help local industries to expand globally. Thus, Safran has been established in Korea since 2014 with Safran Korea, then in 2017 with a subsidiary of Safran Electronics & Defense.
Our innovation and global experience to serve Korean aerospace and defense industry
Exploring new paths to innovation, we provide South Korea with products that are not only performant, accurate, but also robust, which is crucial for technologies that equip critical platforms such as submarines, and aircraft that are made to last for several decades.
As the world’s No.3 aerospace company (excluding aircraft manufacturers), Safran's global experience enables our Korean partners and customers to benefit from technologies that have been proven on various fields, made for global needs and efficiently adapted to the local needs. This also benefits our local partners looking at exporting their solutions as they can rely on our global footprint and network.
Longstanding collaboration with Hanwha Group
For over 20 years, Safran has partnered with Hanwha Group: Hanwha Corporation (historically Doosan DST) for the naval inertial navigation systems, Hanwha Defense to supply ground power units to BIHO and K-SAM vehicles.
Since 2015, Safran and Hanwha Aerospace are co-developing the LAH engine, which will equip KAI’s Light Armed Helicopter (LAH), with an entry into service of the LAH scheduled in 2023.
Aviation
Safran equips all Korean airlines with critical equipment such as landing gears, wheels and brakes, nacelles, avionics, wiring, safety equipment (oxygen systems, evacuation slides, etc.), seats, inflight entertainment and cabin interiors (galleys, electrical inserts). Some airlines use our flight data management solution CassiopéeTM.
The CFM56® and LEAP® engines provided by CFM International, a 50/50 joint venture between Safran Aircraft Engines and GE, are in service or in order to power the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 series.
Safran also powers public and para-public helicopters with about 100 turbine engines in service. Our turbine engine equips local LCH Helicopter in development.
Defense
Safran has positioned itself onboard major Korean military aircraft programs. We provide landing gears (manufactured under licence) for the T-50 supersonic training aircraft and its light combat variant FA-50; avionics (locally produced), floating systems and mission data recorders for the Surion helicopter and its derivatives. Our engine, in cooperation with Hanwha Aerospace, will equip the KAI’s Light Armed Helicopter (LAH). Beyond locally developed platforms, we equip helicopters used by ROK Navy.
Contributing to the protection of South Korea and the success of its defense industries globally, Safran supplies several equipment such as direct fire sights, land navigation systems, key stabilization components, ground power units to various locally-developed land vehicles including K9 self-propelled howitzer, K1/K2 main battle tanks, K21 Infantry fighting vehicle and Air defense vehicles.
South Korea is Safran’s second largest customer of marine inertial navigation. Safran has been supporting ROK Navy for over 20 years by providing various critical navigation, optronics and protection equipment for different types of vessels.
Space
Safran has been a major contributor to Korean space programs for decades and remains a key partner for the ambitious Korea’s future space challenges by providing equipment for satellites and telemetry and data transmission systems for ground stations.
Safran and ArianeGroup, a 50/50 joint venture between Safran and Airbus, have provided various technologies for the Korean Space Launch Vehicles KSLV-1 and KSLV-2.
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