South Korean Hanwha Aerospace has signed a joint development agreement with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) to co-develop and co-produce the Gray Eagle Short Takeoff and Landing (GE-STOL) unmanned aircraft system, the companies announced during the AUSA 2025 exhibition in Washington, D.C.
The contract was signed by Sun Kim, Senior Executive Vice President of Hanwha Aerospace, and Dave Alexander, President of GA-ASI, during a formal ceremony on the second day of the Association of the United States Army’s annual event.
Under the agreement, both companies will work on a GE-STOL demonstrator aircraft, with a maiden flight targeted for 2027 and initial deliveries expected in 2028. According to GA-ASI, flight testing of a prototype is already underway, reducing development risk and accelerating the path to fielding.
“GA-ASI and Hanwha are committed to investing in this project and building development and production capabilities in South Korea,” said GA-ASI President David R. Alexander. “We’ll be leveraging the expertise of both companies to quickly bring the Gray Eagle STOL to global customers.”
Hanwha will be responsible for delivering core components including engines, landing gear, avionics, fuel systems, and mission equipment. The company also plans to establish a domestic production facility in South Korea to manage final assembly, while GA-ASI will oversee system integration.
In a statement, Hanwha Aerospace CEO Jae-il Son said, “Co-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.” He added that Hanwha aims to become “a comprehensive UAS company capable of executing everything from design to production and maintenance.”
The GE-STOL platform stands apart from conventional unmanned systems by offering full runway independence. It can operate from semi-prepared surfaces such as dirt roads, beaches, fields, or even parking lots. That flexibility, combined with a modular open systems architecture, enables it to support a range of missions, including reconnaissance, counter-UAS, and Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T).
The system has already demonstrated its adaptability. In November 2024, a GE-STOL demonstrator — named Mojave — took off and landed aboard the South Korean Navy’s amphibious assault ship ROKS Dokdo. It has also been deployed from the Royal Navy’s HMS Prince of Wales, participated in live-fire testing at Yuma Proving Ground, and successfully operated from dirt strips in earlier trials.
Both companies expect the GE-STOL to appeal to militaries seeking flexible, modular, and forward-deployable unmanned capabilities that can operate without traditional infrastructure.