Leading the Localization of Key Defense Semiconductors for ‘K-Defense’ in Partnership with Hanwha Systems
- Establishment of the “Defense and Space Semiconductor Joint R&D Center” at the Natural Sciences Campus… Accelerating Development of Core Radar Devices
- Expected to Promote Technological Self-Reliance in Advanced Weapon Systems and Foster Future Defense Industry Experts through Industry–Academia Cooperation
▲ A commemorative photo taken at the opening ceremony of the SKKU–Hanwha Systems Joint R&D Center. (From left) Young-Wook Kwon, Executive Vice President of Natural Sciences Campus at SKKU, and Jong-Woo Kwak, Vice President of Hanwha Systems.
SKKU has partnered with Hanwha Systems to begin full-scale joint research and development aimed at localizing “defense semiconductors,” a key technology that will shape the future of South Korea’s defense industry. On the 5th, Sungkyunkwan University announced that it had established the “Defense and Space Semiconductor Joint R&D Center” within the College of Information and Communication Engineering at the Natural Sciences Campus and signed an agreement with Hanwha Systems to develop next-generation radar semiconductors.
This collaboration was initiated to design and manufacture defense semiconductor technologies domestically, reducing the heavy reliance on overseas technologies. Defense semiconductors are key components that determine the competitiveness of radar and communication equipment essential to ultra-precision electronic weapon systems, and they must demonstrate extremely high reliability to operate without failure even in harsh environments.
Through this joint research, SKKU and Hanwha Systems plan to focus on developing “high-power, high-efficiency, and wideband” semiconductors for radar systems. Radar functions as the “eyes of weapon systems,” detecting enemy aircraft or missiles by transmitting electromagnetic waves and analyzing the returning signals. The semiconductor devices to be developed by the SKKU research team will serve as key components in radar antennas that generate electromagnetic waves and amplify signals. These technologies are expected to be widely utilized in AESA radars for unmanned aerial vehicles and next-generation aircraft, as well as surveillance and reconnaissance satellites—representative systems in the “K-Defense” sector.
In particular, this project is expected to serve not only as a platform for technological development but also as a training ground where talented university students can learn practical know-how from the industrial field. SKKU will establish a joint research infrastructure with Hanwha Systems and carry out the entire process step by step—from fundamental research to the commercialization of actual components. Through this process, students will gain opportunities to grow into defense technology specialists, while an industry–academia collaboration model closely linked to career pathways in related fields will be established.
Youngoo Yang, Director of the Joint Research Center and Professor in the College of Information and Communication Engineering, stated, “Semiconductors for defense radar systems represent a highly advanced technological field that must simultaneously achieve high output performance and reliability.” He added, “Our goal is to secure a level of technological completeness that can be applied to actual weapon systems through an integrated approach that considers system application from the design stage.” He further emphasized, “We will build a practical industry–academia cooperation model that connects the needs of industry with research, development, and talent cultivation.”
Hanwha Systems also stated that through this collaboration with SKKU, it aims to systematically internalize defense semiconductor design technologies and secure independent technological competitiveness that spans from individual components to entire weapon systems, thereby leading the domestic defense semiconductor market.
▲ A group photo taken during the unveiling ceremony of the
SKKU–Hanwha Systems Joint R&D Center nameplate.
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