Korea Aerospace Administration invests 86.9 billion won in electric and hybrid aircraft engines

Approximately 86.9 billion won will be invested over four years in a project to develop next-generation dual-use (civil-military) electric and hybrid aircraft engine technologies.

The Korea Aerospace Administration (KAA) announced on the 26th that it will launch full-scale development after holding the “Joint Kick-off Briefing Session for the Next-generation Dual-use Aircraft Engine and Propulsion System Development Project.” Presided over by Han Chang-heon, Director-General for Aviation Innovation at the KAA, the briefing was organized to discuss the project direction, the institutions that will conduct the R&D, and cooperation plans with participating companies and related organizations.

The core project consists of two main parts, with a total budget of 86.929 billion won to be invested over four years from 2026 to 2029.

The project titled “Development of Core Technologies for High-bypass Turbofan Engines for More Electric Aircraft (MEA),” led by Hanwha Aerospace, aims to secure Korea’s first dual-use high-power aviation gas turbine engine model for application in more electric aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles. A more electric aircraft (MEA) is an aircraft in which systems that previously operated using hydraulics, fuel, or mechanical drives are partially or entirely replaced by electric systems.

A high-bypass engine is one in which a large proportion of the air drawn into the engine bypasses the core of the engine. The higher the bypass ratio, the greater the thrust that can be generated with less fuel. The target engine thrust is 4,500 pounds-force (lbf), sufficient for use in small business jets. Through this project, the team expects to secure opportunities to supply MEA engines and enter the market for 10-seat class business jets and Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA).

In the project titled “Pre-emptive Development of Core Technologies for Electric–Turbine Hybrid Propulsion Systems,” three core technologies for eco-friendly electric–turbine hybrid propulsion systems are being developed with an eye on the future advanced air mobility (AAM) market. The Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) serves as the lead organization.

“The KAA will systematically support industry from core technology development through ground performance verification so that domestic companies can grow into key partners in the global AAM supply chain,” the agency stated.

Director-General Han said, “High-bypass turbofan engines and hybrid propulsion systems are strategic technologies that will determine core competitiveness in next-generation aviation,” adding, “We will manage this project thoroughly so that we can consolidate domestic capabilities, internalize core technologies, and secure leadership in the global market.”