South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace has signed a contract with Romania’s National Institute for Aerospace Research ‘Elie Carafoli’ (INCAS) to co-operate in the research and development (R&D) of weapon systems.

The contract was signed on the first day of the Black Sea Defense, Aerospace and Security Exhibition (BDSA) 2024, held in Bucharest from 22 to 24 May, in the presence of Kim Dong-hyun, head of Hanwha Aerospace’s Land Systems Business Group, and Adriana Stefan, director general of INCAS.

“It’s a great honour to join hands with INCAS, and this is a key milestone for developing a strategic partnership over a variety of projects in the future,” Kim was quoted as saying in a Hanwha press release.

“We’re very happy to be collaborating with Hanwha Aerospace, and we hope to move forward to a next level based on this contract,” added Stefan.

The latest agreement comes as part of Hanwha’s strong commitment to broadening co-operation with Romania through localisation and joint R&D efforts.

Under the contract both sides are to conduct joint research activities, including wind tunnel tests of precision-guided missiles. The sides are also open to collaborating in the aerospace sector, rather than being limited to land systems, to create a synergy effect in aerospace engineering.

INCAS is the leading Romanian research establishment for aerospace sciences, with a tradition of 75 years in aerospace engineering, fluid dynamics and applied aerodynamics.

Having been involved in all major civil and miliary national aeronautical projects, INCAS serves as a major player in EU policy making for R&D under the FlightPath 2050 vision and the Horizon Europe programme.

Adriana Stefan, director general of INCAS, and Kim Dong-hyun, head of Hanwha Aerospace’s Land Systems Business Group, shake hands upon the signing on 22 May 2024 of an R&D co-operation contract between the two organisations. (Photo: Hanwha Aerospace)