The partnership brings together aerospace expertise from South Korea and the United States to deliver a next-generation, runway-independent unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The signing ceremony took place on the second day of the exhibition, attended by Mr. Sun Kim, Senior Executive Vice President of Hanwha Aerospace, and Mr. David R. Alexander, President of GA-ASI.
Both companies will collaborate to design and construct a GE-STOL demonstrator aircraft, aiming for a first flight in 2027 and initial customer deliveries in 2028. A prototype, funded by GA-ASI, is already undergoing flight testing and is expected to fast-track development with minimal risk.
Under the terms of the agreement, Hanwha will provide critical UAS components including engines, landing gear, fuel systems, avionics, and mission equipment. A domestic production facility will be established in South Korea, while GA-ASI will lead the final system integration.
“GA-ASI and Hanwha are committed to investing in this project and building development and production capabilities in South Korea,” said David R. Alexander. “We’ll be leveraging the expertise of both companies to quickly bring the Gray Eagle STOL to global customers.”
Hanwha sees this collaboration as part of its broader strategy to expand in the UAV sector by delivering cost-effective, next-generation solutions. The company aims to strengthen domestic manufacturing capabilities while supporting global operations.
“Co-producing GE-STOL in South Korea and the U.S. will create jobs and help Hanwha secure capability in related fields as well as foster our domestic (Korean) UAS industry ecosystem,” said Jae-il Son, President and CEO of Hanwha Aerospace. “Hanwha is poised to become a comprehensive UAS company capable of executing everything from design to production and maintenance based on our capabilities, which span from fighter jet engines to radar and avionics equipment.”
GE-STOL is the only medium-altitude, long-endurance UAS in its class to offer full runway independence, capable of operating from dirt roads, beaches, and parking lots. Its modular open systems approach supports a wide range of missions including RSTA, counter UAS, and Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T).
In recent demonstrations, the GE-STOL prototype — named Mojave — has taken off and landed from the South Korean Navy’s amphibious landing ship ROKS Dokdo in 2024, the British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales in 2023, and completed live-fire tests and dirt strip operations in the U.S. These trials highlight the system’s adaptability and operational flexibility across multiple environments.
