Korean Air rolls out first Medium Altitude Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (MUAV)

Korean Air is contributing to strengthening the combat capabilities of the Korean military and securing the global competitiveness of the Korean defense industry by participating in the mass production of the "Medium Altitude Unmanned Air Vehicle (MUAV)," the nation's first strategic-grade unmanned aerial vehicle.

On the 8th, Korean Air held a "Ceremony Commemorating the Rollout of the First Mass-Produced MUAV" at the Korean Air Tech Center in Gangseo-gu, Busan. The ceremony, hosted by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration and co-organized by Korean Air, LIG ​​Defense & Aerospace (D&A), and Hanwha Systems, was attended by approximately 300 key officials from the civilian, government, and military sectors, including representatives from the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Air Force, the Army, the Agency for Defense Development (ADD), and the Defense Technology Quality Agency (DTQA).

During the event, the actual first mass-produced MUAV was unveiled, followed by a progress report, a system explanation, and a tour of the exhibited equipment. The first unit, delivered this time, measures 13 meters in length and 26 meters in wingspan and is equipped with a powerful 1,200-horsepower turboprop engine. This unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is capable of flying at altitudes exceeding 10 kilometers to reconnoiter ground targets. Once the MUAV is deployed in combat, it is expected to secure rapid operational command capabilities by enabling real-time visualization of enemy strategic targets.

Korean Air has once again demonstrated its unrivaled comprehensive UAV system capabilities by undertaking the system development for this first mass-produced MUAV. In this project, Korean Air perfectly integrated key components developed by domestic defense companies such as LIG D&A and Hanwha Systems. In particular, it is evaluated that the company established an efficient integrated operational system by combining numerous subsystems—including ground control systems, data links, state-of-the-art detection sensors, and avionics—like a single organic organism.

Korean Air completed production, including MUAV airframe integration and painting, last February and commenced full-scale airframe testing last month. System equipment integration tests and flight tests are scheduled to be conducted by operational units in July of this year. Once all verifications are complete, the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is scheduled to be delivered to the Air Force early next year and deployed for full-scale operational surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

A Korean Air official stated, "We plan to continue working closely with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, the Air Force, and the Agency for Defense Development to ensure the successful execution of the project," adding, "As the integrator for the MUAV system, Korean Air will do its utmost to adhere to the Air Force's operational deployment schedule."