Boeing, Korean DAPA to Jointly Develop Long Endurance UAV

Boeing and South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) have agreed jointy develop a High Altitude Long Endurance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (HALE-UAV).

A DAPA team was in the U.S. on November 16 and discussed with Boeing officials the 'HALE UAV' project besides cooperation in Aviation Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul, Upgrade (AMROU) of Boeing military aircraft.

The 'high-altitude long-range unmanned aerial vehicle', which was selected as a priority cooperation project will utilize Boeing's aircraft design and unmanned technology expertise, but will be hosted by the Korean Agency for Defense Development.

Besides, system integration and aircraft production will be handled by a Korean defense industry company, a DAPA statement said November 17.

The HALE UAV project is a fall-out of the “Advanced Weapons Agreement” signed between the DAPA and Boeing on April 13 this year to secure competitiveness in defense technology through joint research and development of weapons systems.

The AMROU Project is meant to inspect, disassemble, repair, regenerate and improve the airframe and engine of Boeing aircraft (F-15K, E-737 Peace Eye, AH-64E Apache helicopter, etc.) operated by the South Korean military.

Boeing has a number of UAV systems manufactured by its subsidiary, Insitu Inc including the 'Integrator- a multi-mission capable solution for both land and maritime operations. The aircraft’s six payload spaces can be customized with cameras, communication capabilities and other mission-specific technologies.