Korean Air has rolled out its Medium Altitude Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (MUAV) at its Tech Centre in Busan. The new medium-altitude unmanned platform will enhance the surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities of South Korea’s military.
The first production MUAV (previously known as the KUS-FS) has been developed by Korean Air in partnership with LIG Defence & Aerospace and Hanwha Systems, under the oversight of the Defence Acquisition Programme Administration (DAPA) and the Agency for Defence Development (ADD).
‘The MUAV is a significant first step in the Air Force's manned-unmanned composite system,’ said Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) Chief of Staff, General Son Seok-rak. “As seen in the Russia-Ukraine war and Middle East conflicts, unmanned aerial vehicles are no longer mere auxiliary tools for conventional weapon systems but have become core forces that determine the outcome of battles.”
Korean Air completed airframe integration and painting of the MUAV in February, following which full-scale airframe testing commenced in March.
The MUAV is scheduled to be transferred to the ROKAF in July this year for system equipment integration testing and flight tests.
The ROKAF is slated to take delivery of the MUAV in early 2027, following which it will be deployed for full-scale operational surveillance and reconnaissance missions. At least 10 systems are planned to be acquired.
Once in service, the MUAV will provide the ROKAF with an independent capability to monitor and respond to strategic targets in real time. It will be used to reconnoitre ground targets and enable real-time validation of imagery information, improving the speed and accuracy of joint and combined operations.
The 13 m long MUAV is powered by a 1,200 hp turboprop engine and can operate at altitudes exceeding 10 km. It is fitted with high-performance cameras and sensors.
South Korea’s indigenous Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAV programme has faced multiple technical challenges over the course of its development. Production of the first MUAV began in December 2023. DAPA claims a localisation rate of 90%. A significant proportion of the MUAV’s subsystems, including ground control systems, datalinks, advanced sensors and avionics are understood to have been developed locally.
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