Overview
- Signed at the AUSA conference on Oct. 14, the agreement launches immediate co-development and co-production of a STOL Gray Eagle, with first flight planned in 2027 and initial deliveries targeted for 2028.
- The companies plan a new facility in South Korea for manufacture and final assembly while GA-ASI retains final mission-systems integration, with early aircraft built in parallel in California and Korea.
- No customer orders were announced, and the partners say they will market the aircraft to the U.S. Department of Defense and South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense as talks with potential buyers continue.
- The STOL design builds on the Mojave demonstrator, which has conducted shipboard operations on ROKS Dokdo and HMS Prince of Wales, dirt-strip takeoffs and landings, and live-fire testing.
- Hanwha plans to invest 750 billion won in its UAV business to support domestic production, while GA-ASI projects potential global demand of about 15 trillion won over the next decade.