Korea Aerospace Industries, or KAI, said Wednesday it posted preliminary 2025 revenue of 3.6964 trillion won and operating profit of 269.2 billion won.
Revenue rose 1.7% from a year earlier and operating profit increased 11.8%. Net profit climbed 9.6% to 187.3 billion won, the company said.
Fourth-quarter revenue was 1.4667 trillion won and operating profit was 77.0 billion won, up 34% and 82.7%, respectively, from a year earlier.
KAI said orders rose 30.4% to 6.3946 trillion won, driven by the first mass-production contract for the KF-21, a second mass-production batch for a medical evacuation helicopter, expanded helicopter procurement by the Korea Forest Service, and exports of the FA-50PH to the Philippines.
The company said additional exports of the FA-50PH and follow-on work such as an airframe life-extension program for Indonesia’s KT-1 helped secure a long-term revenue base of more than 40 years. Its order backlog at the end of 2025 stood at 27.3437 trillion won, up more than 10% from a year earlier.
For 2026, KAI forecast revenue of 5.7306 trillion won and orders of 10.4383 trillion won, up 58.1% and 63%, respectively, from the prior year on a separate basis. The company said it expects revenue to top 5 trillion won for the first time since its founding, with the KF-21 moving into mass production after 10 years and six months of system development, alongside Light Armed Helicopter, or LAH, production.
KAI also said it expects production stabilization for the FA-50PL for Poland and the FA-50M for Malaysia, and higher aircraft-structure exports as the commercial aviation market recovers.
On orders, KAI said it will pursue the KF-21’s first export, expand additional exports and follow-on support for the FA-50 and Surion, and push domestic programs including a third LAH mass-production batch and a broader government helicopter market.
Chief Executive Cha Jae Byung said, “Last year was a year in which we steadily advanced major development programs and diversified our global business, once again proving KAI’s technological capabilities and reliability.” He added, “This year, we will complete development of the KF-21, which the entire nation has long hoped for, and successfully carry out mass production and the first export, focusing all companywide capabilities on creating sustainable future value for South Korea’s aerospace industry.”
KAI also said its board approved issuing 500 billion won in convertible bonds. It said 400 billion won will be used to prepare for full-scale KF-21 and LAH mass production, and 100 billion won will go to materials costs and advance component purchases to support on-time deliveries of the FA-50 and Surion (KUH) and strengthen competitiveness in winning orders.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.