SEOUL, Jan. 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has begun production of medium-altitude unmanned aerial vehicles (MUAVs) to enhance the military's surveillance over North Korea, the state-run procurement agency said Thursday.
In December, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) signed a 471.7 billion-won (US$353.6 million) deal with Korean Air, South Korea's biggest airline, along with two defense firms, LIG Nex1 and Hanwha Systems, to manufacture advanced spy drones by 2028.
The state-run Agency for Defense Development initiated the MUAV project in 2008 and completed its development in 2022.
The surveillance aircraft is capable of flying at an altitude of 10-12 kilometers and capturing high-resolution images from distances exceeding 100 kilometers. It measures 13 m in length and 3 m in height, and has a wingspan of 25 m.
DAPA said the spy drone is expected to help the South Korean military's surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.
The prototype of a medium-altitude unmanned aerial vehicle (MUAV) manufactured by Korean Air is seen in this photo provided by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration on Jan. 25, 2024. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
ejkim@yna.co.kr
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