Hanwha UAV 'Mojave' Succeeds in Simulated Combat Flight, Proves Field Operability

Co-developed with GA-ASI and domestic partners

Demonstration of short takeoff and landing on non-runway surfaces

Capable of carrying up to 1 ton of mission equipment

Hanwha Aerospace announced on the 16th that the 'Mojave STOL' unmanned aerial vehicle, which it is jointly developing with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), a leading global UAV specialist, successfully completed a simulated combat flight demonstration at the 2026 Defense Drone Technology Exhibition.

Hanwha Aerospace's short-range VTOL unmanned aerial vehicle 'Mohave STOL' under domestic development and mass production. Hanwha Aerospace

During the event held in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province on the same day, the Mojave took off from the 513th Army Aviation Battalion airfield and landed not on a standard runway, but on a narrow tank movement route. Subsequently, it took off again from that point, followed the designated path, and returned to the 513th Army Aviation Battalion to complete its flight.

The Mojave is a short takeoff and landing (STOL) unmanned aerial vehicle that Hanwha Aerospace and GA-ASI have been co-developing since last year. Unlike conventional UAVs of the same class, which require runways of over 1km, the Mojave is equipped with high-lift devices and a 450-horsepower turboprop engine, allowing it to take off and land on runways as short as 100 to 300 meters.

In the latest demonstration, the Mojave achieved a takeoff distance of less than 200 meters and a landing distance in the 100-meter range. During a November 2024 combat test conducted on the flight deck of the Navy's large landing ship (Dokdo-class), the Mojave required less than 100 meters for takeoff. The company explained that the Mojave can also be operated in South Korea, where the predominantly mountainous terrain makes securing long runways difficult.

The U.S. military is also pursuing a project to introduce STOL-type UAVs and has shown interest in the Mojave. Excluding the weight of the airframe and fuel, the Mojave can carry up to 1 ton of mission-essential equipment. Depending on the payload, it is capable of a variety of missions including ground attack, surveillance and reconnaissance, cargo transport, and communications relay.

Hanwha Aerospace plans to build domestic research and development, as well as production infrastructure, for the development and mass production of the Mojave. Once mass production begins, the company expects more than 70 percent of Mojave production will be carried out in South Korea.

On the 21st, Hanwha Aerospace will invite stakeholders in the domestic UAV industry to the Changwon 1 Plant in Changwon Special City, Gyeongsangnam-do, to hold an 'Industry-Academia-Research Cooperation Agreement Ceremony.'

A Hanwha Aerospace official stated, "Based on mutual cooperation with GA-ASI and domestic companies, we will achieve the development and mass production of the Mojave and take the lead in the global UAV market."

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