Tel Aviv: Israeli company Elbit Systems was awarded contracts in an aggregate amount of approximately $74 million from the Defence Acquisition Program Administration of the Ministry of National Defence of the Republic of South Korea, to supply a range of airborne munitions as part of the Precision Fires Program of the Republic of Korea Air Force. The contracts will be performed over a five-year period.

Yehuda (Udi) Vered, General Manager of Elbit Systems Land, said: “We see an increase in the demand for our diverse portfolio of munitions as Air Forces seek fires capabilities of greater sophistication and impact”.

About two weeks ago, Korean company Hanwha Systems reported that it is collaborating with Elbit Systems on AI powered avionic technologies for Urban Air Mobility and defence applications. In recent years, Elbit Systems signed several contract with the Republic of South Korea. Among the contracts signed are – embedding Terrain Following-Terrain Avoidance systems on-board the Next Generation Korean fighter jets that are in development; integrating Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System II, Helmet-mounted displays into Republic of Korea Air Forces’ F-16 aircraft; and the delivery of a full end-to-end Underwater Sound Source System used to test sonar systems for the Republic of Korea’s Navy Harbour Underwater Surveillance System.

The Israeli company has not specified what is included in the new contract but sources say that one weapon system developed by Elbit creates interest in many air forces. This system is the Rampage, an air launched rocket which weighs over half a ton, and is designed to penetrate into and destroy protected areas, like bunkers.