Planned indigenous engine for the most complex UAV technology to support crewed fighter jets ‘a deliberate bid’ by Seoul
The engine will be suitable for collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) systems and other unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platforms. It will be developed through matching-fund investment as part of the government-backed UAV propulsion portfolio.
This includes the development of a 5,500-pound-class low bypass turbofan for low-observable unmanned wingman aircraft and core technologies for a 10,000-pound-class turbofan for stealth platforms.
Seoul’s attempt to indigenise “the most complex” drone technology should be seen as a “deliberate bid to enter the top tier of UAV producers”, according to Liselotte Odgaard, a senior fellow at Hudson Institute in Washington.
Engines were key to shaping competitiveness and export potential, she said. South Korea’s indigenous UAV engine development was a significant step towards achieving the “most restricted and technologically complex subsystems”.
Source: News - South China Morning Post
