Hanwha Systems Co. secured its first US Air Force contract, agreeing to supply Boeing Co. with cockpit displays for F-15 fighter jets as South Korea’s defense industry extends its reach into the world’s largest military market.
The Korean company will provide its Enhanced Large Area Display for both Seoul’s F-15K fleet and the US Air Force’s F-15EX Eagle II, according to a company statement. The touchscreen system consolidates data from multiple cockpit instruments onto a single panel, a feature Boeing has prioritized in its latest fighter configurations.
The deal marks Boeing’s first avionics supply agreement with a South Korean firm, moving beyond the structural components that have dominated previous partnerships. Israel’s Elbit Systems had traditionally supplied cockpit displays for the F-15 platform.
Hanwha attributed the win to government-backed defense diplomacy, including a November 2024 memorandum of understanding between Boeing and South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration. That agreement aimed to expand Korean participation in F-15K upgrade programs.
The contract gives Hanwha a foothold in the US defense market, valued at approximately $900 billion. The company already supplies seven core avionics systems for Korea Aerospace Industries’ KF-21 fighter, positioning it to compete for future upgrade cycles on American platforms.
