On November 12, General Atomics’ drone prototype flew above a Dokdo-class amphibious assault ship. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
The use of drones, also known as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), has transformed tactics on the battlefield, leading Korean and U.S. defense firms to collaborate on their combined development.
Despite the fact that most partnerships are in their early stages without finalized military deals, they have the potential to create and develop autonomous drones not only for the Korean military, but also the global market, as multiple U.S. firms have the upper hand in autonomous software that Korea lacks.
In April alone, at least three major agreements pairing Korea-U.S. firms for UAVs were announced.
Hanwha Aerospace, best known as the manufacturer of the K9 Thunder howitzer, pledged to invest 750 billion won ($524 million) investment in the joint development of the Grey Eagle STOL (short-takeoff and landing) unmanned aircraft system with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI), a subsidiary of General Atomics that specializes in unmanned aerial vehicles.
This marks the first time that Hanwha Aerospace, South Korea’s leading defense firm, has entered into an accord for the collaborative creation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
The agreement holds significant importance for us as it reflects our area of expertise,” stated a representative from Hanwha Aerospace, highlighting the company’s prior involvement in producing various drone parts. “As a frontrunner in this sector, GA-ASI aligns with our goals, and together we aim to meet international market needs.
Anduril Industries, a California-based defense firm specializing in unmanned aerial systems and military-focused AI that rose to prominence following Ukraine’s utilization of its drones against Russia’s invasion, signed a memorandum of understanding with Korean Air Aerospace, the flagship carrier’s arms division, to work together on autonomous aerial vehicles. While the firms have revealed few details of the agreement, they have stated that they intend to develop drones for commercialization rather than military use.
The American technology firm has entered into an initial pact with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA)—the organization responsible for acquiring weaponry for South Korea’s armed forces—for collaborative efforts aimed at researching and developing sophisticated combat drones. This arrangement encompasses the creation of both the physical components as well as the monitoring systems and control software necessary for these unmanned aerial vehicles.
The administration chose not to comment on the specifics of its initial deal with Anduril.
Anduril also announced a partnership on April 3 with LIG Nex1 to develop next-generation guided weapons by deploying Anduril’s AI-based operating software Lattice. It’s also cooperating with HD Hyundai on the development of autonomous naval systems.
“The Ukraine War proved the efficacy of AI technology in the military, and a global investment of AI in the field is now necessary,” Kiwoom Securities analyst Lee Han-gyul said in a note. “In the medium-to-long-term view, Korean defense firms should have competitive AI technology to be able to continue exporting in global markets.”
Automated Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), which can function without direct human remote control, would theoretically navigate autonomously to their designated targets, dodge obstructions, recognize and engage the objective entirely independently. However, numerous such systems still necessitate initial target identification and approval from human soldiers. These drones are seeing action on contemporary battlefields; however, they remain largely unused by Korean military units.
South Korea’s military has yet to extensively employ automated Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). However, in 2023, they initiated the establishment of the Drone Operations Command, which serves as an integrated headquarters encompassing the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marines for all matters concerning drones.
The introduction of a system with reduced dependence on personnel holds particular significance for the South Korean military due to the shrinking number of service members caused by the country’s falling population. However, when it comes to automated unmanned aerial vehicle technology, South Korean companies are not keeping up, says Professor Park Jung-su from Kyungwoo University’s Department of Unmanned Aerial Systems.
“Korean firms’ hardware technologies in UAVs are not necessarily that behind compared to U.S.-based firms,” Prof. Park, who previously worked at Korea Aerospace Industries and Samsung Aerospace — now Hanwha Aerospace — told the Korea JoongAng Daily.
The professor stated, “However, when it comes to software, operational technology, and expertise, particularly AI technology, South Korea is falling short.” He further noted that South Korean software has only reached about 70% of the standard set by leading US defense companies.
Such collaboration is also beneficial for the U.S. defense firms, which receive royalties on the software and can also expect future collaboration with the Korean military.
The professor said that due to Korea’s limited land and airspace, on top of the various regulations that make field tests difficult within the country, Korean defense firms have no choice but to continue working with companies abroad.
“AI used in UAVs must be trained through machine learning, and more data means higher accuracy,” Park said. “Tests done in the lab also don’t account for the different variables, compared to the tests done in the field, which reflect real-world scenarios more.”
BY CHO YONG-JUN [[email protected]]
