HENSOLDT and Young Poong Electronics to Localise Manufacture of Flight Data Recorders in South Korea

South Korea has been identified as a priority country in HENSOLDT’s internationalisation strategy, owing to its increasing investments in armed-forces modernisation and its geopolitically sensitive position. The nation’s growing defence budget and high demand for advanced technologies reinforce the need for local partnerships. By collaborating with YPE, HENSOLDT addresses the complexity of local tender and offset processes, expedites market access, and builds redundancy against potential supply-chain disruptions.

Technology Transfer and Local Manufacturing

With the MLA, HENSOLDT will transfer a complete manufacturing data package, proprietary software, and essential know-how to YPE, enabling independent production, testing, and repair of flight data recorders in Changwon. Core components, including the Crash Protected Memory modules, will continue to be supplied by HENSOLDT, while YPE assumes final assembly, quality control, marketing, and sales. The unit licence arrangement stipulates that YPE pays a licence fee for each recorder sold. The forthcoming definition phase will outline detailed measures for technology handover, equipment qualification, and implementation of local manufacturing processes. “With the local production of flight data recorders in South Korea, we are setting a milestone in our international expansion strategy. The transfer of production knowledge and the development of a strategically important partnership will not only serve the growing demand in the Korean market but also lay the foundation for future market development in other parts of Asia,” says Michael Sucker, Senior Director Sales at HENSOLDT.

Beyond local production, YPE will establish a service‐partner network across the Asia-Pacific region to provide rapid maintenance and support. Leveraging YPE’s established relationships with key decision-makers in the aviation and defence sectors, the partnership ensures shorter lead times, enhanced customer responsiveness, and potential expansion into neighbouring markets. This strategic cooperation lays the groundwork for South Korea to become a regional hub for HENSOLDT’s flight data recorder technology.

Product Spotlight: LCR 100 Flight Data Recorder

The LCR 100, one of the lightest combined ED-155 flight data recorders on the market at just one kilogram, integrates Crash Protected Memory, a Data Acquisition Unit, area microphone, control panel, and Quick Access Recorder into a compact housing. Certified to EASA ETSO-2C197 standards, it offers combined cockpit-voice, flight-data, and optional video recording. Designed for seamless integration, the LCR 100 holds supplemental type certificates for multiple aircraft platforms and delivers unmatched weight-savings without compromising on reliability or performance.