Hanwha Aerospace enters UAV market

Hanwha Aerospace is making a full-scale entry into the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) market, widely regarded as a future “game changer” in modern warfare. With the global UAV market projected to reach 50 trillion won (approximately 37 billion U.S. dollars) by 2040, the South Korean defense firm is positioning UAVs as a key pillar of its long-term growth strategy.

On April 2, Hanwha Aerospace announced a strategic partnership with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), a leading U.S. defense contractor renowned for its advanced unmanned aircraft systems, including the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper. GA-ASI supplies UAVs to NATO, the United Kingdom, Japan, Australia, and other major allied forces.

The two companies will collaborate on developing the Gray Eagle STOL (short takeoff and landing) platform. This next-generation UAV is designed to take off and land within a few hundred meters, making it capable of operating from short runways, large vessels with flight decks, and remote open fields, offering critical flexibility in constrained combat environments.


한종호기자 hjh@donga.com