MBDA and Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI) have signed an agreement to deepen co-operation. 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 Monday 20th November by Chris Allam, Managing Director of MBDA UK, and Kang Goo-young, CEO of KAI, in London during a Korean State visit to the UK.

Eric Béranger, CEO of MBDA, said: “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 declared: “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 complete successfully the integration of MBDA’s Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile on the KAI-led KF-21 Boromae fighter aircraft.

Examples of new areas of co-operation being explored under the new agreement include the integration of new MBDA weapons such as SPEAR, ASRAAM, and Brimstone onto KAI platforms such as KF-21 and FA-50, and the export of the above platforms and missiles.