European missile house MBDA and Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI) have signed an agreement to deepen co-operation, MBDA announced on 24 November 2023.
The agreement will see the companies explore new opportunities for the integration of new MBDA weapons onto KAI platforms and the export of both together via a joint marketing approach.
The agreement was signed on 20 November by Chris Allam, managing director of MBDA UK, and Kang Goo-young, CEO of KAI, during a South Korean state visit to London.
Eric Béranger, CEO of MBDA, was quoted by MBDA as saying, “The combination of MBDA’s world-leading weapon products and technologies with KAI’s proven record of new aircraft development and rapid delivery is an exciting prospect for the world defence market, reflecting the shared values and interests of both parties.”
Kang Goo-young was quoted as saying, “Recently, there has been growing global demand for various armaments. We will work with MBDA to propose enhanced domestic fighter aircraft to our customers.”
MBDA is already committed to working together with KAI to successfully complete the integration of MBDA’s Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile on the KAI-led KF-21 Boromae multirole fighter.
Examples of new areas of co-operation being explored under the new agreement include the integration of MBDA weapons such as the Advanced Short-Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM), Select Precision Effects At Range (SPEAR) portfolio, and Brimstone ground attack missile onto KAI platforms such as the KF-21 and FA-50 light fighter, as well as the export of the above platforms and missiles.
