Northrop Grumman Corporation and Hanwha have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in connection with the Republic of Korea's Mine Countermeasures Helicopter (KMCH) program. The agreement supports Northrop Grumman's longstanding industrial cooperation with the Republic of Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration and defines the work that Hanwha will perform as a supplier.

• This MOU follows Korea Aerospace Industries' (KAI) 2023 contract for Northrop Grumman to provide Airborne Laser Mine Detection System (ALMDS) solutions and technical support for the Engineering, Manufacturing and Design phase of the Republic of Korea's KMCH program.
• Under the agreement, Hanwha will support the manufacturing of ALMDS hardware components.
• To date, Northrop Grumman has delivered ALMDS units to the U.S. Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).

Expert:

Janice Zilch, vice president, multi-domain command and control programs, Northrop Grumman: "Industry collaborations with companies such as Hanwha and KAI are key to Northrop Grumman's approach to technology development across the globe. Our team is committed to delivering advanced solutions to meet the security needs of the Republic of Korea's Ministry of National Defense."

Details:

Northrop Grumman's AN/AES-1 ALMDS detects, classifies and locates floating and near-surface moored mines. Mounted onto a variety of helicopter platforms, the system is capable of untethered day or night operations, which allow it to attain high area search rates. ALMDS also provides accurate target geo-location to support follow-on neutralization of the detected mines. Northrop Grumman's support of the KMCH program leverages the company's extensive systems integration and digital engineering expertise.

Hanwha Systems is a company that manufactures, develops, and mass-produces defense systems for the defense and civil sectors based on the synergy capabilities of the defense and ICT industries. After its establishment in 1977, it took its first steps into the defense industry by producing night vision goggles, an electro-optical product, in 1978. Currently, it is solidifying its status as Korea's leading defense company by continuously expanding its scope and capabilities beyond land and marine to aerospace and cyber fields.

Northrop Grumman is a leading global aerospace and defense technology company. Our pioneering solutions equip our customers with the capabilities they need to connect and protect the world, and push the boundaries of human exploration across the universe. Driven by a shared purpose to solve our customers' toughest problems, our employees define possible every day.