Introduction of Vertical Takeoff and Landing Drones This Year

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yang Nak-gyu]Advanced equipment, including small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with an operational radius exceeding 200 km that can be applied to various military reconnaissance missions, is being considered for introduction.

On the 27th, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced that it will disclose the purchase specifications for four pieces of equipment selected under the Rapid Demonstration Acquisition Project on its website until the 1st of next month.

The Rapid Demonstration Acquisition Project, launched for the first time this year, is a program in which the military authorities prioritize purchasing products incorporating Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and drones, conduct trial operations, and then rapidly introduce them.

The purpose is to proactively purchase products applying advanced technologies from the civilian sector and introduce them to the military.

The four selected pieces of equipment this time include vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) drones for coastal surveillance, VTOL drones for monitoring and reconnaissance, small UAVs for long-range reconnaissance, and portable Anti-drone Guns.

DAPA plans to announce a bidding notice next month after collecting opinions and reviewing, and the successful bidders will supply the equipment to the military and provide user training and technical support.

The military plans to conduct trial operations of the delivered products for about six months starting as early as September, and for weapon systems recognized for military utility and determined to be necessary, it will promptly acquire follow-up quantities.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.