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| South Korea Develops New Stealth Drone To Support Its Fighter Jets |
Seoul - The South Korean Defense Development Agency (ADD) on August 12, 2022 selected Korean Air to help develop a stealth multi-role drone (stealth) for the South Korean Air Force (RoKAF).
The platform is tentatively named the Korean Unmanned System-Loyal Wingman (KUS-LW) which is designed to cooperate with manned aircraft.
On its official website, Korean Air said that it will develop a system in which three to four drones, these will not only support and escort manned fighter jets but will also be able to carry out their own missions. The KUS-LW can carry out reconnaissance missions, electronic warfare, and precision strike operations both independently and in groups.
The concept is similar to the Australian Loyal Wingman project, jointly developed by Boeing Defense Australia and the Australian Air Force (RAAF) which has produced the MQ-28A Ghost Bat combat drone. The initial design of the KUS-LW itself was developed in November last year, and has now been completed.
Furthermore, ADD and Korean Air will work on the detailed design, up to the manufacture of its flying prototype, as well as the maturation of its stealth technology in the next decade.
Korean Air has not released the specifications for the KUS-LW, but the company's images show that the plane has quite large dimensions and is equipped with a jet engine. This fighter drone can later become the Loyal Wingman for the new domestically made fighter jet KAI KF-21 Boramae which is planned to start serving for the RoKAF in 2028.