Seoul City and ROKAF Launch 'Air Force AX Hub' to Connect Military AI Needs with Startups

On October 28, 2026, the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) held an opening ceremony for the 'Air Force AX Hub' at the Industrial AX Innovation Center within the Seoul AI Hub. The initiative aims to connect the military's demand for AI technology with innovative solutions from private companies, supporting joint research and technology demonstrations to enhance the competitiveness of South Korea's defense industry.

The newly launched hub is an expansion and relocation of the former Air Force AI New Technology Convergence Center, which was previously operated within the main Seoul AI Hub center. The facility has grown from 314 square meters to 1,230 square meters and includes research spaces, server rooms, and a 'National Defense Data Safe Zone.' This secure area allows companies participating in Air Force AX research projects to access and utilize military data for R&D under strict security protocols, addressing the longstanding challenge where private firms could not easily access defense data or verify technologies in real military environments due to security constraints.

Seoul City and the Air Force have been collaborating since 2024 through the initial center and signed a memorandum of understanding in July 2026 to expand this partnership. Currently, they are advancing several open innovation and R&D projects based on Air Force technical needs, including weapon system supply chain risk prediction, unmanned access control systems, AI-based combat planning models, and automatic target identification models. Seoul City plans to support the discovery of five Air Force AX projects annually by 2030 and build a cooperation network involving large defense corporations and national defense-related institutions.