Hanwha Aerospace seeks global startups for defence innovation and localisation push

Hanwha Aerospace has begun advertising its own engineering headaches in public, inviting startups and other outside specialists to help solve problems ranging from autonomous vehicle artificial intelligence to battery health monitoring, counter-drone systems and aero-engine materials.

The South Korean defence group used NextRise 2026, the country’s biggest startup and venture fair, to make its first appearance at the event and to seek partners for 12 development projects cove...

ring ground weapons, guided weapons and aero-engines. According to organisers, the two-day gathering at COEX in Seoul brought together more than 1,700 startups and over 270 global firms, including OpenAI, Anthropic, Palantir, Perplexity and Nvidia.

Rather than following the more familiar model of approaching a fixed circle of suppliers, Hanwha is effectively publishing a shopping list of unresolved technical challenges and asking companies of any size or sector to propose solutions. The strategy reflects a broader shift in defence manufacturing, where primes are increasingly looking beyond their own laboratories for niche expertise that can be moved quickly from concept to production.

A recurring theme is localisation. Several of the projects are aimed at reducing dependence on imported components after overseas supply interruptions exposed vulnerabilities. One example involves a 28-volt, 25-kilowatt vehicle generator used in infantry fighting vehicles, which Hanwha wants replaced with a domestically made, compact unit with efficiency above 95 per cent. The company is also seeking battery-monitoring hardware that can track not only charge levels but also cycling and service life, as it expands its battery business for applications including submarines.

In autonomous ground systems, Hanwha wants to bring together sensors such as cameras, lidar and GNSS receivers into a single modular AI processing unit that can be installed across different platforms. In guided weapons, it is looking for a local ignition safety circuit for launch systems such as the Chunmoo multiple rocket launcher. The company is also seeking integrated counter-drone capability for self-propelled howitzers, reflecting how battlefield requirements are changing after the spread of low-altitude drone attacks in recent conflicts.

The aero-engine work is aimed at high-temperature materials and precision casting techniques, areas that matter more as engines become more efficient and run hotter.

Hanwha also showcased some of its existing supplier network at the fair, sharing a booth with 21 partner companies that supply parts for the K9 self-propelled howitzer and the Chunmoo. The display included firms such as IT Science, which provides driver instruments and panels, PSI, which makes 3D laser scanners, Duksan Nepcores, which supplies anti-jamming GNSS receivers, and Sol Defence, which works on navigation and guidance units.

The company said it will accept proposals through the Open Innovation section of its website until July 31, with a Hanwha representative saying submissions are welcome from capable firms regardless of size or field.

The push comes as Hanwha broadens its defence collaboration footprint elsewhere. In April, the company said it had joined Northrop Grumman on a long-range missile programme aimed at a 2027 demonstration. It has also recently announced partnerships in maritime autonomy with US companies HavocAI and Magnet Defense, and signed an agreement with Spain’s Indra Group to pursue opportunities in Latin America.

Hanwha is also deepening its work in propulsion. The company has announced a joint development programme with the Korea Aerospace Administration for a 4,500-pound-class turbofan engine for collaborative combat aircraft and other unmanned aerial platforms, part of a wider UAV propulsion investment plan worth about KRW 750 billion and due for completion by 2029.

Source: Noah Wire Services