Industry-Academia-Research Collaboration Agreement Signed to Strengthen the UAV and Drone Industry Ecosystem…

K-Defense Launches Win-Win Partnership Model Between Large and Small-to-Midsize Companies

Hanwha Aerospace has joined forces with 43 domestic UAV and drone companies. While laying the groundwork for domestic production of the large unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) ‘Mojave STOL,’ currently being developed in cooperation with U.S.-based General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), the company is also moving to establish an industrial ecosystem in the small- and medium-sized drone sector by connecting large companies with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), universities, and research institutes. This article looks at the signing ceremony held in Changwon, Gyeongsangnam-do, on September 21.

On September 21, at Hanwha Aerospace’s Changwon Plant 1 in Changwon Special City, Gyeongsangnam-do, a video showing the silhouette of a UAV emerging over a runway at dusk was played, drawing the attention of guests gathered at the event. On that day, Hanwha Aerospace held a ‘Industry-Academia-Research Mutual Cooperation Agreement Ceremony for Strengthening the UAV and Drone Industry Ecosystem,’ attended by representatives from domestic UAV and drone companies as well as industry, academia, and research institutions. The company signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with a total of 43 domestic companies.

The MOUs with domestic companies were divided into two major areas. The first was an MOU involving 16 companies for cooperative production of large UAVs centered on the ‘Mojave STOL,’ a short takeoff and landing (STOL) large UAV being jointly developed with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI). The second was a drone business agreement involving 28 companies, universities, and research institutes to strengthen technological and production cooperation in the small- and medium-sized military drone sector. With representatives from academia and related organizations also attending, the event brought together representatives from 16 companies in the UAV sector and 28 companies in the drone sector, as well as representatives from universities and research institutes and government and local government officials.

A Hanwha Aerospace official said regarding the purpose of the event, “We will do our utmost to ensure that the outstanding technologies and products of domestic companies lead to large-scale production, global exports, and enhanced competitiveness of Korea’s defense unmanned systems.”

Why Large Companies and SMEs Are Joining Forces to Build the Ecosystem

Hanwha Aerospace President In-seop Jung, whose welcoming remarks were delivered on his behalf, described the agreement as “the first step toward opening a new future for Korea’s UAV industry.” President Jung noted that the UAV industry is no longer simply about aircraft manufacturing, but has become a key field of future aviation where AI, autonomous driving, and advanced materials and components technologies converge. He also pointed out that as the performance of UAV platforms themselves has become increasingly standardized at a high level, software capabilities and supply chain security are now becoming key factors in global competition. His message was clear: “Only when the global networks and financial resources of large companies are integrated with the component technologies of SMEs can truly unrivaled competitiveness be achieved.”

This backdrop reflects the changes seen on the battlefield in recent conflicts in Europe and the Middle East. As tactics using relatively inexpensive UAVs and drones to neutralize high-value strategic assets such as tanks and missiles have become increasingly common, the ability to rapidly secure large quantities of air power at a reasonable cost has emerged as a key factor in future warfare, alongside high-performance weapons systems.

Won-ho Park, Director of the Counter-Terrorism Center and head of the Prime Minister’s Office UAV and Counter-UAV Integrated Task Force, offered an even more candid assessment in his congratulatory remarks. He acknowledged, “Compared with competing countries, our current situation is quite dire, and there have also been shortcomings in government policy,” emphasizing the need to “develop a national transformation strategy.”

In particular, he pointed out, “Before saying that large companies and SMEs need to join forces, the government itself should have first become an ‘anchor customer.’” He explained that the rapid growth of companies such as Palantir in the United States and the Chinese drone industry was supported by the presence of clearly defined large-scale demand sources—that is, anchor customers.

He went on to highlight three key priorities: ① the recognition that Korea cannot catch up at the conventional pace (speed), ② collaboration that breaks down the boundaries between the private sector, government, and military, and ③ achieving economies of scale through mass production. He pledged, “The government will also become an anchor customer alongside all of you.”

GA-Hanwha Joint Development and Global Business Strategy

‘Mojave STOL’ and Commitment to 70% Domestic Production

One of the highlights of the event was the presentation of the large UAV business strategy centered on the ‘Mojave STOL,’ which is being jointly developed by GA-ASI and Hanwha Aerospace. Senior Vice President Sung-won Hong of Hanwha Aerospace’s UAV Business Division said, “By combining GA-ASI’s proven technology, Hanwha’s K-Defense manufacturing capabilities, and the stable supply chains of domestic partners, we will complete Korea’s large UAV development and production ecosystem and grow together in the global market.”

The key feature of the Mojave STOL is its ability to take off and land on short and damaged runways, approximately 200 meters wide, as well as in other constrained environments such as field conditions. With a maximum takeoff weight of approximately 7,000 pounds (about 3.2 tons) and a useful payload capacity of 2,300 pounds (about 1 ton), the aircraft is designed to perform a wide range of missions on a single platform, from reconnaissance and surveillance to communications relay, electronic warfare, and precision strike.

Vice President Hong said, “Production readiness must begin at the development stage, not immediately before mass production,” explaining the plan to establish production processes, quality systems, and certification frameworks in parallel with domestic partners in order to accelerate the start of mass production.

One particularly notable goal is to increase the domestic production share to more than 70% by 2030. Rather than having Hanwha handle everything itself, the company plans to assign responsibilities to domestic partners with specialized expertise in areas such as composite materials, airframe structures, cables, various equipment, final assembly, and testing, allowing each partner to secure long-term business opportunities.

To achieve this, the companies agreed to gradually pursue special process certifications and prototype production with their partners while jointly building technological and quality capabilities.

Ken Loving, Head of International Strategic Development at GA-ASI, explained in his presentation that long-endurance, multi-mission Group 4 UAS have played a decisive role in recent conflicts by enabling sustained operations in high-threat environments without exposing manned forces to the same level of risk of casualties or political burden.

He said, “The Mojave STOL differentiates itself from other UAVs in that it can operate from damaged runways, field environments, and even amphibious assault ships.” He added, “The aircraft is planned to integrate machine guns, rockets, Hellfire missiles, small-caliber precision-guided bombs, as well as Korean-made weapons, across its six hardpoints.”

He forecast that the global STOL UAV market would grow to approximately $23.2 billion by 2030. According to market research conducted by GA-ASI, the potential sales volume for the Mojave STOL could reach up to 600 aircraft. The two companies have already invested more than $350 million in private funding, with the ultimate goal of increasing the proportion of Korean-made components in the aircraft to more than 70%.

A New Leap Forward for Korea’s Drone Industry, Built Together – Drone Business Division

“Fast, Mass, Smart, Together”… Large Companies, SMEs, and Universities Shape the Drone Ecosystem

Lee Bo-hyung, an advisor to Hanwha Aerospace’s Drone Business Division and former inaugural commander of the Republic of Korea’s Drone Operations Command, presented the company’s strategy for advancing Korea’s domestic drone industry under the theme “A New Leap Forward for Korea’s Drone Industry, Built Together.”

He noted that the nature of warfare has recently shifted from a competition to secure “longer-range, faster, and more precise high-cost platforms” toward “rapid innovation through the mass deployment of low-cost assets and the immediate incorporation of lessons learned in actual combat to continuously improve performance.”

He further emphasized that as wars become protracted, the factor determining victory or defeat is not simply the number of systems a country possesses, but its ability to rapidly produce and replenish them—in other words, its “mass production” capability.

Advisor Lee assessed that while Korea’s drone industry is keeping pace with global trends in terms of individual technological capabilities, further strengthening is required in the ability to translate these technologies into actual combat capabilities and connect them to mass production and continuous performance upgrades.

To achieve this, he presented four key priorities:

① **Fast** — Develop rapidly rather than waiting for perfection, and continuously improve through real-world deployment and operational feedback

② **Mass** — Mass-produce sufficient quantities at low cost to meet operational requirements

③ **Smart** — Evolve beyond remote control toward more intelligent unmanned systems based on AI and autonomous capabilities

④ **Together** — Large companies and SMEs, as well as industry, universities, and research institutes, work together beyond Korea to build global partnerships

He continued, “Hanwha Aerospace does not aim to develop and manufacture every technology itself.” He explained the division of roles as follows: “Our partners will strengthen their expertise in key areas such as engines, components, and sensors, while universities and research institutes will focus on future technologies such as AI and autonomous flight, as well as talent development. Hanwha will serve as an ‘anchor company’ connecting these capabilities, taking responsibility for systems integration, quality management, mass production, and global commercialization.”

The event can be seen as a starting point for large companies and SMEs, as well as industry and academia, to move forward with the commitment to “build technology together, build markets together, and build a global presence together.”

With the government stepping forward for the first time to position itself as an “anchor customer,” industry attention is now focused on whether the alliance of 43 companies that began in Changwon can translate into actual export results and entry into global supply chains.

Source : Drone Journal (https://www.dronejournal.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=741)