Lockheed Martin and Korean Air have signed a strategic partnership framework to enhance military aircraft sustainment and expand maintenance cooperation across the Indo-Pacific. Announced at the 2025 Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition (ADEX), the collaboration merges Korean Air’s four decades of depot-level maintenance expertise for U.S. platforms with Lockheed Martin’s role as the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) for key U.S. defense assets, starting with the F-16 fighter.
The partnership directly supports the U.S. government’s Regional Sustainment Framework (RSF) initiative, aiming to bolster the defense readiness of both the United States and the Republic of Korea (ROK) through timely aircraft maintenance. A core focus is expanding their joint Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul, and Upgrade (MROU) services to third-country markets in the region.
In a joint statement, the companies highlighted the alliance-strengthening nature of the project: “This MROU partnership framework…brings together two leading aerospace companies from both nations. With over 40 years of accumulated expertise…combined with Lockheed Martin’s advanced platforms, Korean Air is committed to leading timely force readiness for U.S. and allied militaries.”
Korean Air brings a proven track record, having maintained and upgraded more than 3,700 U.S. military aircraft, including F-16s, F-15s, and various helicopters. Since 2021, it has been successfully executing a F-16 Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) for U.S. Forces Japan.
Lockheed Martin has supplied core capabilities to Korea’s defense for over 70 years, including the F-35 and F-16 fighters, C-130J transports, and Aegis combat systems. This new collaboration seeks to build on that history, using sustainment cooperation to further solidify the ROK-U.S. alliance and elevate the global profile of Korea’s defense industry. The partnership is positioned to enhance interoperability and ensure operational readiness for allied air forces across the region.
