General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) and South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace have finalized an agreement to jointly develop and produce the Gray Eagle Short Takeoff and Landing (GE STOL) unmanned aircraft system. The partnership represents a new stage in U.S.–Korea defense cooperation, focusing on a next-generation, runway-independent system designed to enhance operational flexibility for global military customers.
The program will involve co-development and co-production between GA-ASI and Hanwha, with work commencing immediately. A production-representative aircraft will be built under the agreement, with the first flight planned for 2027 and deliveries to start in 2028. The aircraft will be offered globally, including to South Korea’s Ministry of Defense and the U.S. Department of Defense.
GA-ASI will continue producing other Gray Eagle variants in San Diego, while a new facility in South Korea will be established for GE STOL’s final assembly and manufacturing. GA-ASI will manage final integration of the aircraft.
“GA-ASI and Hanwha are committed to investing in this project and building development and production capabilities in South Korea,” said David R. Alexander, President of GA-ASI. “We’ll be leveraging the expertise of both companies to quickly bring the Gray Eagle STOL to global customers.”
The GE STOL, based on the Gray Eagle platform, is a medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aircraft capable of operating from semi-prepared surfaces such as dirt roads, open fields, and beaches. This capability allows for multi-mission use, including reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition, counter-UAS, and manned-unmanned teaming operations.
GA-ASI has previously demonstrated the aircraft’s runway-independent performance using its Mojave demonstrator. In 2024, GA-ASI and Hanwha flew the Mojave from the South Korean Navy’s amphibious assault ship ROKS Dokdo while underway off Pohang. Earlier, in 2023, the aircraft conducted takeoffs and landings aboard the UK’s HMS Prince of Wales and performed live-fire testing at Yuma Proving Ground in 2024.
Hanwha Aerospace’s president and CEO, Jae-il Son, emphasized the partnership’s role in advancing Korea’s unmanned systems industry: “Jointly producing GE STOL in South Korea and the U.S. will create jobs and help Hanwha secure talent in related fields as well as foster our domestic UAS industry ecosystem. Hanwha is poised to become a comprehensive UAS company capable of executing everything from design to production and maintenance.”
The initiative aligns with Hanwha’s broader strategy to expand its unmanned systems business and GA-ASI’s continued investment in UAS technologies. Both companies aim to lower costs and mitigate risk through shared development while ensuring timely delivery of next-generation unmanned aircraft systems.