Airbus announced the establishment of an Airbus Tech Hub in Korea earlier today, 18th November.
Located in Daejeon, the heart of the nation’s R&D ecosystem, the new hub will serve as a dedicated centre for collaborative research and innovation, solidifying Korea’s role as a strategic technology partner.
Korea is the fourth addition to Airbus’ global network of Tech Hubs, joining existing centres in Japan, the Netherlands and Singapore, which are designed to foster collaboration among industry leaders, academia, government agencies, and start-ups to push boundaries of aerospace technology.
Three pillars
The Airbus Tech Hub will focus on three key research pillars leveraging Korea’s industrial strengths: the development of future energy technologies, advanced lightweight composites, as well as next-generation defence and space technologies.
The hub is being established in close collaboration with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR), and Daejeon Metropolitan City.
Mark Bentall, head of Airbus’ R&T programme, declared: “After five decades of successful industrial partnership with Korea, this step to launch the Airbus Tech Hub in Daejeon is a clear signal of our deepening commitment. The Tech Hub allows Airbus to tap into advanced technologies in Korea, which will help fast-track future aircraft technologies and continue to develop Korea as our trusted, long-term partner.”
Bentall added that Daejeon, with its concentration of world-class R&D institutes and talent, is the ideal location for the new facility.
As he explains: “This city offers the perfect synergy between advanced academia and industrial ambition, making it the essential base for joint development of future technologies that will drive the industry forward.”
Three key agreements
To accelerate the Tech Hub’s mission, Airbus signed three Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) during the launch ceremony.
The first MoU, signed with MOTIR, establishes a framework enabling Airbus to swiftly launch research and innovation projects within Daejeon’s technology ecosystem.
The second MoU, signed with Daejeon City, also outlines a commitment to support and expedite Airbus’ research and innovation initiatives across the city’s technological landscape.
The third MoU, with the Korea International Trade Association (KITA), focuses on leveraging KITA’s open innovation platform in Korea to source and engage new partners identified based on the Airbus technology focus areas.
Among the projects announced at the launch of the Airbus Tech Hub in Korea, Airbus is partnering with LIG Nex1 to develop space chip antenna technology used for transmitting and receiving communication signals.
Separately, Airbus is engaging with EMCoretech to develop active filtering technologies needed for electrification applications to suppress electromagnetic interference.
A long-standing relationship
Airbus’ relationship with Korea spans more than 50 years, going back to 1974 when Korean Air ordered the original A300B4 widebody aircraft.
Since then, the country has become a key customer base and partner across Airbus’ commercial aircraft, defence, space and helicopter product lines.
Airbus’ substantial industrial presence is anchored by long-standing partnerships with tier-one suppliers like Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) and Korean Air Aerospace Division (KAL-ASD).
These partners manufacture critical components for Airbus’ global civil aircraft programmes, including wing structures, fuselage assemblies, and composite elements for the A320, A330, and A350 families.
Numerous Korean SMEs also contribute to the supply chain. Airbus’ procurement in Korea currently sustains around 6,000 highly-skilled jobs and contributes about US$600 million to the local economy annually.
The new Tech Hub is complemented by the recent opening of Airbus’ wholly-owned subsidiary, CTC - Composite Technology Centre, in Busan.
CTC’s new office aims to cooperate with Busan Techno Park in the research and development of advanced composite materials and processes for aerospace.
