Boeing Asks Hanwha Systems to Develop Fighter Jet OLED Displays

What happened

According to industry sources on Oct. 20, Boeing recently asked Hanwha Systems to transition fighter jet displays from liquid crystal displays (LCDs) to organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panels, and Hanwha Systems is reviewing development options. Hanwha Systems currently supplies large area displays (LADs) for Boeing's F-15 fighter jet series and believes OLED products could be developed within two to three years if the necessary development conditions are established. Other defense contractors including Lockheed Martin have also expressed interest in adopting OLED technology; potential applications include F-15 fighters, F/A-18 fighters and Apache attack helicopters undergoing service-life extensions, with potential replacement demand estimated at 3,000 to 5,000 aircraft. The South Korean government and Hanwha Systems want LG Display—which previously developed military LCD panels for the KF-21 and F-15 and discontinued related LCD production in 2021—to participate, but the limited market size remains an obstacle: Hanwha Systems estimates it could realistically secure orders for only several thousand units, while a complete fighter cockpit display system costs approximately $1 million and an individual LCD panel costs as much as a midsize car. Lee Min-woo, director general for industrial growth at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources, said at a Display Day event on Sept. 17 that the ministry was planning an R&D project with LG Display and Hanwha Systems for fighter cockpit OLED displays; if the project proceeds, LG Display would develop the panels and Hanwha Systems would integrate them into avionics equipment. Hanwha Systems currently sources panels from Taiwanese and Japanese suppliers.

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Source: The Elec · 10/20/2026 · View original source