Wayvis succeeds in domestic production of key components for surface-to-air missiles

Waybis Co., Ltd. (CEO Min-Seok Han), a gallium nitride (GaN) RF semiconductor specialist, has succeeded in domestically producing key components for the Army's short-range surface-to-air missile system, 'Cheonma (K-31).'

Wayvis announced on the 21st that it has successfully completed the core component localization project hosted by the Agency for Defense Development and received a research and development certificate for two types of high-frequency signal generation module combinations for the Cheonma. With this, Wayvis has secured a technological and strategic bridgehead for full-scale entry into the defense MRO (maintenance, repair, and overhaul) market.

The Cheonma is a short-range surface-to-air weapon system currently deployed and operated by over 100 Army units. It is a missile system that intercepts low-altitude penetrating aircraft and various airborne threats at close range. In particular, it plays a key role as an all-round defense system that protects key strategic facilities in the event of an emergency on the Korean Peninsula.

The high-frequency signal generation module assembly that Wayvis has successfully localized is a component directly related to the core engagement capability of the Cheonma system, and by replacing components that were previously dependent on imports, it has great strategic value in terms of supply chain stability and maintenance efficiency.

The operational period of a weapon system is usually very long, 20 to 40 years, so continuous maintenance and performance improvement are essential. The introduction cost of a weapon system is only 30 to 40% of the operational cost, and the MRO portion is a large portion, 60 to 70%. Therefore, defense MRO is a high-profit business that goes beyond simple parts replacement and includes long-term performance preservation and technology upgrades, and is rapidly emerging as a key revenue source for domestic and international weapon systems in the future.

Choi Yoon-ho, CTO of Wayvis, said, “Through this localization achievement, we expect to expand the participation of the Cheonma system in the MRO business, as well as expand into the maintenance and performance improvement businesses of ships, aircraft, and air defense weapon systems in which Wayvis is already successfully participating in development or mass production,” adding, “In particular, as the Defense Acquisition Program Administration’s integrated MRO policy based on the life cycle cost (LCC) is expanding, Wayvis’ position with localization technology is expected to continue to be strengthened.”

Wayvis is the only company in Korea that has succeeded in domestically producing gallium nitride RF semiconductor chips, which were previously imported, and has secured mass production capabilities. It has proven its technological reliability by participating in numerous defense weapon system development and mass production projects, including ships, aircraft, and air defense weapons. This localization of the Cheonma high-frequency module is also an example of Wayvis’s technological prowess contributing to the stabilization of the domestic defense industry supply chain.

The localization of defense components is absolutely significant in terms of strengthening national defense self-reliance, enhancing security risk response, and activating the industrial ecosystem, beyond simple import substitution. In particular, the localization of gallium nitride RF semiconductors, which are highly dependent on foreign components, is essential for expanding K-defense exports and stabilizing the supply chain for independent national defense.

In the future, Wayvis plans to accelerate sales diversification and entry into the global market based on three major axes: localization of gallium nitride RF semiconductors, a key component of active phased array radar, and expanded application of transmission/reception modules to weapon systems, securing long-term stable profitability of the MRO business, and entering the export MRO market in line with the expansion of defense exports.

• See more related articles