韩华系统开始批量生产韩国KF-21战斗机多功能显示器（MFD），系2024年既有航电合同的量产落地

Hanwha Systems has begun full-scale mass production of multifunction displays (MFDs) for South Korea’s domestically developed KF-21 supersonic fighter jet.
According to industry sources on Oct. 21, Hanwha Systems has completed development of the KF-21 MFD and started mass production. A contract covering the initial production batch of 40 aircraft has been signed. The overall procurement program could expand to 120 aircraft, including 80 in subsequent production batches.
In November 2024, Hanwha Systems signed a contract worth approximately 61.6 billion won with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) to supply four types of avionics equipment for the KF-21. The contract covers MFDs, mission computers (MC), audio communication control systems (ACCS) and infrared search and track (IRST) systems. The contract runs through December 2026. The individual contract value and specific delivery quantities for the MFDs have not been disclosed.
Hanwha Systems, the existing MFD supplier, is expected to continue supplying the equipment for subsequent production batches. Production plans for the KF-21’s major onboard systems were established early in the program based on the anticipated total procurement volume. “Fighter development programs estimate total production volumes and demand for major equipment during the initial feasibility assessment,” an industry official said. “Additional contracts may be signed during subsequent production phases, but suppliers of major onboard systems rarely change.”
An MFD is an avionics system that displays flight data, aircraft status, weapons information and mission-related information in a fighter cockpit. It consolidates information previously spread across multiple instruments onto a large screen, improving pilots’ situational awareness. It also displays information processed by the mission computer and transmits pilots’ touch inputs.
The KF-21 MFD features a 20-by-8-inch liquid crystal display (LCD) with a resolution of 2,560 by 1,024 pixels and supports ARINC-818, a high-speed video transmission standard. Hanwha Systems also developed the mission computer that interfaces with the MFD. The mission computer processes information collected from the aircraft and generates images, which the MFD presents to the pilot.
The display incorporates a redundant architecture required for military applications. Its large screen is designed to operate the left and right sections independently, allowing essential information to remain visible in one section if the other experiences a malfunction. The system is also designed to maintain operations in the event of power supply or display computer failures.
The touchscreen uses a low-reflection resistive technology. Preventing unintended pilot inputs is critical in fighter aircraft, which operate in environments subject to strong electromagnetic interference and vibration. During development, Hanwha Systems conducted tests including one million repeated touch operations and electromagnetic interference testing. The company also improved a heating system designed to address slower LCD response times at low temperatures and resolved display abnormalities caused by vibration.
Separately from the KF-21 MFD, Hanwha Systems is developing an enhanced large-area display (ELAD) for Boeing’s F-15 fighter aircraft. In December 2025, the company signed a contract with Boeing to supply ELAD systems for the South Korean Air Force’s F-15K and the U.S. Air Force’s F-15EX.
“The technology and deployment experience Hanwha Systems gained while developing the KF-21 MFD also helped the company secure Boeing’s F-15 display contract,” an industry official said.