Hanwha, General Atomics partner to tap W15tr uncrewed aircraft market
Hanwha Aerospace has partnered with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, a US-based uncrewed aircraft company, to enter the global autonomous aircraft sector and co-develop short take-off and landing (STOL) aircraft, the Korean defense firm said Wednesday.
Under the partnership agreement, the two sides will collaborate throughout the Gray Eagle-STOL joint project, including on design, development, production, operation and sales of the unmanned aircraft system, or UAS.
The Korean and US companies said they aim to conduct the first flight of the Gray Eagle-STOL in 2027 with plans to commercialize the project in global markets such as the US, Middle East, Asia and Europe. They added that the cooperation is expected to aid the two countries' military alliance by sharing the UAS platform.
According to Hanwha Aerospace, over 750 billion won ($512 million) will be required to develop STOL equipment and establish production facilities as the company looks to roll out the Gray Eagles in Korea.
The Korean defense firm added that the investment could increase if the partnership with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems expanded.
Hanwha Aerospace noted that the investment will help Korea's UAS industry grow and build an ecosystem with local component and material suppliers.
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems' demand projection, based on the countries already using the US firm's UAS, estimates that over 600 units of the Gray Eagles will be needed over the next years. This would equal approximately 15 trillion won in exports.
Wednesday's partnership announcement followed the two sides' earlier collaboration in successfully demonstrating the first ship-to-land flight of General Atomics Aeronautical systems' STOL aircraft on a Korean warship at sea off the coast of Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, in November last year.
'Hanwha Aerospace views unmanned systems as a strategic pillar for the future of defense,' said Hanwha Group Vice Chairman Kim Dong-kwan, who serves as a co-CEO of Hanwha Aerospace.
'Through our collaboration with (General Atomics Aeronautical Systems), we aim to strengthen sovereign defense capabilities, expand Korea's presence in the global (autonomous aircraft systems) market and contribute to a more robust Korea-US alliance.'
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