Korean Air Rolls Out Korea's First Strategic-Class Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Unit No. 1

Conducting Reconnaissance Missions at Altitudes Above 10 km

Scheduled for Delivery to the Air Force Early Next Year for Operational Deployment

Korean Air is contributing to strengthening the military's combat capabilities and enhancing the global competitiveness of Korea's defense industry by participating in the mass production of the country's first strategic-class unmanned aerial vehicle, the Medium Altitude Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (MUAV) for reconnaissance.

Korean Air held the 'MUAV Mass Production First Unit Delivery Ceremony' on the 8th at the Korean Air Tech Center in Gangseo-gu, Busan. Korean Air

Korean Air announced that on April 8, 2026, it held the "MUAV Mass Production Unit No. 1 Delivery Ceremony" 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 more than 300 key figures from the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Air Force, the Army, the Agency for Defense Development, and the Defense Agency for Technology and Quality, representing the military, government, and industry sectors.

During the event, the actual MUAV mass production unit No. 1 was unveiled, followed by a progress report, a system briefing, and a tour of the exhibited equipment. The first unit measures 13 meters in length and 26 meters in wingspan, and is equipped with a 1,200-horsepower turboprop engine. It can fly above 10 kilometers in altitude and conduct reconnaissance of ground targets. Once the MUAV is deployed in actual operations, it is expected to enable real-time monitoring of video intelligence on enemy strategic targets, thereby securing rapid operational command capability.

By taking charge of the system development for the first unit, Korean Air has once again demonstrated its unrivaled expertise in integrated unmanned aerial vehicle systems. In this project, Korean Air perfectly integrated key components developed by domestic defense companies, combining numerous subsystems such as the ground control system, datalink, cutting-edge detection sensors, and avionics equipment into a single, organically functioning system, thereby establishing an efficient integrated operational system.

Korean Air held the "MUAV Mass Production Unit 1 Delivery Ceremony" on the 8th at the Korean Air Tech Center in Gangseo-gu, Busan. Korean Air

Korean Air completed the integration and painting of the MUAV airframe in February and began full-scale flight testing last month. In July 2026, the operating unit is scheduled to conduct integrated system tests and flight tests. Once all verifications are complete, this unmanned aerial vehicle is planned to be delivered to the Air Force in early 2027 and deployed for full-scale operational surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

A Korean Air spokesperson stated, "We plan to closely cooperate 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 prime contractor for the MUAV system, we will do our utmost to meet the Air Force's force integration schedule."

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