The Japan Times - GA-ASI Inks Collaboration Deal With South Korea's Hanwha

SAN DIEGO, CA / ACCESS Newswire / April 8, 2025 / General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) and South Korea's Hanwha Aerospace have agreed to collaborate on the development and production of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) for the global defense market. The joint effort follows the successful completion of a major flight demonstration in 2024 when the two companies launched a GA-ASI MQ-1C Gray Eagle^® STOL (GE STOL) UAS from the South Korean Navy's amphibious landing ship ROKS Dokdo (LPH-6111) as it was underway at sea off the coast of Pohang, South Korea.

The demonstration illustrated the ability of the GE STOL to safely operate on many types of aircraft-capable ships, which opens myriad new ways for the U.S. and its allies to use this UAS to support multi-domain operations. It also paved the way for GA-ASI and Hanwha to sign this new agreement to jointly invest in and pursue new UAS business opportunities.

"We're excited to extend and deepen our business relationship with Hanwha," said GA-ASI CEO Linden Blue, who supervised the November 12, 2024, at-sea demonstration. "Our test flight with Gray Eagle STOL was well-received by the Republic of Korea Navy, and we know Hanwha is ready to invest to grow a UAS business with GA-ASI both in Korea and the U.S."

Gray Eagle STOL-which stands for short takeoff and landing-is the only medium-altitude, long-endurance aircraft of its kind with the ability to operate without a catapult or arresting gear from fight deck-equipped warships such as amphibious ships and aircraft carriers. It additionally enables true runway independence by operating from unimproved fields and roads, beaches, parking lots, etc.

Hanwha Aerospace plans to invest more than 300 billion KRW (US $203.5M) in the development and production facilities for GE STOL and UAS engines, expand research and development activities, and provide production infrastructure in both South Korea and with GA-ASI in the U.S. This is in addition to GA-ASI's past and ongoing investment in UAS STOL development. Hanwha also plans to create jobs by securing talent in related fields and to foster the domestic (Korean) UAS industry ecosystem by discovering domestic parts and material partner companies. GA-ASI expects the endeavor to create nearly 10,000 jobs based upon the expected sales and support over the next 10 years, and at least 500 jobs in the U.S.

"Hanwha Aerospace views unmanned systems as a strategic pillar for the future of defense. Through our collaboration with GA-ASI, we aim to strengthen sovereign defense capabilities, expand Korea's presence in the global UAS market, and contribute to a more robust ROK-U.S. alliance, said Dong Kwan Kim, Vice Chairman of Hanwha Group.

Previously known as Mojave, Gray Eagle STOL leverages extensive commonality with the well-proven, in-production Gray Eagle 25M airframe to offer a highly capable new aircraft at greatly reduced cost and technical risk compared to a clean-sheet design. Gray Eagle STOL has recorded a number of first-of-their-kind aviation milestones, including the flight from the Dokdo, launch and recovery aboard the British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales (09), live-fire testing at Yuma Proving Ground, Ariz., and several others. Gray Eagle STOL offers international militaries a unique platform: a full-featured medium-altitude, long-endurance UAS with a significant battlefield payload that can take off in short distances from ships, unimproved surfaces, or other highly combat-relevant locations.

About Hanwha Aerospace

Hanwha is South Korea's seventh-largest business group, with innovative businesses in the areas of aerospace & mechatronics, clean energy and ocean solutions, finance, and retail and services. Hanwha Aerospace is a world leader that specializes in the design, development, assembling, and maintaining aircraft gas turbines and engine parts, aircraft components, as well as space systems, guided missile systems, and land and naval weapon systems to include providing highly specialized and dedicated organizational and depot maintenance support across these products. www.hanwha.com

About GA-ASI

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. is the world's foremost builder of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). Logging more than 8 million flight hours, the Predator^® line of UAS has flown for over 30 years and includes MQ-9A Reaper^®, MQ-1C Gray Eagle^® 25M, MQ-20 Avenger^®, XQ-67A, YFQ-42A, and MQ-9B SkyGuardian^®/SeaGuardian^®. The company is dedicated to providing long-endurance, multi-mission solutions that deliver persistent situational awareness and rapid strike.

For more information, visit www.ga-asi.com.

Avenger, EagleEye, Gray Eagle, Lynx, Predator, Reaper, SeaGuardian, and SkyGuardian are trademarks of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., registered in the United States and/or other countries.

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SOURCE: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.

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T.Kobayashi--JT