The company said it recently completed a System Requirements Review (SRR) for its domestically developed high-speed target drone project at the Daejeon Convention Center, attended by officials from the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), the Navy, the Air Force, and the Korea Research Institute for Defense Technology Planning and Advancement.
The project, awarded by DAPA in November last year, aims to localize key components including the drone airframe, control systems, and launch equipment, replacing imported target drones currently used for training and testing.
The high-speed target drone under development is designed to reach speeds of up to Mach 0.6, or about 735 kilometers per hour among the fastest in its class domestically.
Korean Air plans to roll out a prototype and conduct its first flight in 2027, with deployment targeted for 2028.
The drone will incorporate artificial intelligence technologies to enable swarm control and greater mission autonomy. Korean Air is also pursuing an open-architecture design that allows modular sensors and mission equipment to be installed, improving operational flexibility and cost efficiency.
The company said the platform will serve as a stepping stone for South Korea’s future manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) systems and the Surrogate Unmanned Combat Aircraft (SUCA) program, which the military aims to deploy in the early 2030s.
In parallel, Korean Air signed a memorandum of understanding with the Busan Metropolitan Government to invest 200 billion won ($130 million) in a new aerospace manufacturing facility at its Busan Tech Center in Gangseo District.
The new plant, with a total floor area of about 16,000 pyeong, will produce next-generation drones, components for future commercial aircraft, and support military aircraft modification and performance upgrades.
Busan officials described the investment as the largest aerospace-related project in the city, noting that demand for unmanned aerial systems is expected to grow across defense, logistics, disaster response, and other industries.
"The integration of high-speed target drone design with artificial intelligence technology is a critical step for Korea’s defense industry to secure a competitive edge in the global market," a Korean Air official said. "We aim to accelerate the localization of the high-speed target drone system, a national strategic asset, to strengthen the military’s combat capabilities and enhance the global competitiveness of the K-defense industry."
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