– Samsung Thales Expected to Considerably Heighten the Nation’s Defense Capability 

Samsung Thales (CEO Park Tae-jin) celebrated completion of the nation’s biggest radar R&D Center in the presence of Gyeonggi Provincial Governor Sohn Hak-kyu, committee member Yoo Jae-geon of defense in the national assembly, and some 200 army and air force personnel on May 27. Samsung signed an investment agreement with the province regarding opening of the Radar R&D Center in July 2004. KRW27 billion was invested over the 46,000 pyeong-land in Namsa-myeon of Yongin to build the center completed in 7 months after the 1st stage groundbreaking. 

Samsung Thales is the nation’s first defense company jointly established by the Defense Business Division of Samsung Electronics and Thales of France in the 50:50 equity holdings. It is at the forefront of the defense supply industry supporting the Korean military system by developing and producing various goods such as communication equipments, avionic equipments, fire control systems, and radar systems. 

The STC Yongin Radar R&D Center consists of a research building (1 underground floor, 5 aboveground floors) and a unit of beacon tower that send out virtual target signals. 

Approximately 300 research staffs will be stationed at the center in a long-run to be put in charge of high-end 3-D radar development and pilot testing. Performance stabilization of the M-SAM MFR for target detection, tracking, and IFF at the center of mid-range ground-to-air radar systems as well as that of Cheonma Tracking Device, which is a core equipment of short-range ground-to-air radar systems are a few of the center’s tasks. It is expected to considerably better Korea’s independent defense capacity by improving defense equipments through advanced radar R&D works. 

A representative of Samsung Thales stated, “The company will put forward its best effort to maximize radar R&D capacity and production technology to heighten the nation’s defense might. Samsung will also grow into a world-class radar company to generate national income and promote industrialization of radar technology.” 

The Provincial Governor Sohn promised, “Gyeonggi-do will provide all the available support for successful works of STC Radar R&D Center” all the while stating, “The province is doing its utmost to secure new national growth engines by fostering the IT, BT, and NT industries with foreign companies. Yongin, where STC Radar R&D Center is, and Seongnam and Suwon vicinities will be made into a world-class R&D cluster.”