Hanwha Aerospace and General Atomics executives pose in front of a Gray Eagle drone at the Wlater E. Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C., Oct. 14, 2025. (Hanwha Aeronautics)
South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace is partnering with U.S. manufacturer General Atomics to develop a multi-mission, short-takeoff-and-landing drone the companies call a “game changer,” Hanwha said in a Wednesday news release.
The project will produce the Gray Eagle Short Takeoff and Landing unmanned aerial aircraft system, or STOL, a new variant of General Atomics’ Gray Eagle, itself an upgraded version of the widely used MQ-1 Predator.
The new drone will offer “unprecedented runway independence, able to launch from warships to dirt fields and everywhere in between” and can be configured for electronic warfare, over-the-horizon targeting, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, according to General Atomics’ website.
The joint venture is part of a broader plan to “deliver next-generation, runway-independent UAV solutions,” according to Hanwha’s news release. The companies plan to invest about $528 million into drone development.
Hanwha and General Atomics signed the agreement Oct. 14 during the Association of the United States Army’s annual meeting and exhibition in Washington, D.C. The companies will design and build a demonstrator aircraft, with a first flight planned in 2027 and initial deliveries in 2028, Hanwha said.
Hanwha will supply engines, fuel systems and avionics, while General Atomics will handle final systems integration. Hanwha also plans to establish a production facility in South Korea for manufacturing and final assembly of the Gray Eagle.
General Atomics expects global demand for the drone to reach $10.5 billion over the next decade.
“[General Atomics] and Hanwha are committed to investing in this project and building development and production capabilities in South Korea,” David Alexander, president of General Atomics, said in the release. “We’ll be leveraging the expertise of both companies to quickly bring the Gray Eagle STOL to global customers.”
Spokespeople for Hanwha and General Atomics did not immediately respond to email requests for comment Friday in South Korea.
