US-based uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) specialist General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) announced on 13 November that its Gray Eagle short takeoff and landing (STOL) UAS had successfully taken off from the Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN) amphibious landing ship ROKS Dokdo and landed at a ground facility on the day before.
GA-ASI revealed that the Gray Eagle STOL UAS launched while Dokdo was underway at sea off the coast of Pohang, South Korea, and then flew to Pohang Navy Airfield where it landed without incident. The company noted that the achievement was a collaboration with local defence prime Hanwha Aerospace and represented the first mission of its kind for this type of aircraft.
“We applaud the South Korean navy for its foresight in examining the unique capability of Gray Eagle STOL for its fleet,” said GA-ASI CEO Linden Blue.
“This demonstration illustrates the ability of the [air vehicle] to safely operate on many types of aircraft-capable ships, which opens myriad new ways our allies can use this UAS to support multi-domain naval operations,” added Blue.
The RoKN noted in a social media post that the Gray Eagle and its various support systems were loaded on Dokdo on 4 November, where it was assembled on board the ship before its 12 November flight. The air vehicle used the vessel’s aircraft elevators to access the flight deck, and also conducted a simulated landing operation during its hour-long flight.
“The demonstration is a crucial step in verifying how the Gray Eagle STOL can contribute to defence capabilities, and I am honored to witness this alongside the Republic of Korea Navy, to whom I extend my deepest gratitude for conducting the test,” said Hanwha Aerospace CEO and President Jae-il Son.
GA-ASI stated that South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense is evaluating the Gray Eagle for its ability to meet its emerging military requirements.
“The demo highlighted the versatility of STOL [capabilities] aboard a warship, in the Dokdo, designed not for fixed-wing aircraft but solely for helicopters. Gray Eagle STOL’s flight proves that navies can add significant new capability without costly major modifications to their existing warships,” said South Korean Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Yang Yong-mo.
GA-ASI earlier performed a STOL mission with the UK Royal Navy’s HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carrier with its Mojave UAS in November 2023. The flight deck of Dokdo is about 30% shorter than Prince of Wales.
by Jr Ng
