South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace is ramping up its ambitions in the unmanned aerial systems (UAS) sector with the development of a powerful new 1,400hp turboprop engine for medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) UAVs — a major milestone in strengthening the nation’s sovereign defence capabilities.
In partnership with South Korea’s Agency for Defence Development (ADD), the project aims to reduce dependence on foreign propulsion technology and navigate increasingly tight export controls on UAV engines. The new turboprop is scheduled for completion by 2028, targeting integration into South Korea’s next-generation surveillance and strike drones.
By Jarryd Sinovich
Hanwha, the country’s only fully integrated aero-engine manufacturer, says its in-house expertise across the entire development lifecycle — from design to production and certification — will help South Korea secure more self-reliant defence and expand export potential.
“With our technology and experience, we will independently develop a variety of UAV engines to contribute to our nation’s self-reliant defence and defence exports,” Hanwha stated.
The turboprop project sits alongside multiple turbofan engine programmes, also under development with ADD. These include powerplants delivering up to 10,000lb of thrust for larger UAV platforms — bolstering Seoul’s strategic ambitions in advanced unmanned operations.
Hanwha’s momentum in the engine sector extends beyond UAVs: the company is licensed to produce GE Aerospace F414 engines for the KF-21 Boramae fighter and is developing an even more powerful engine for future Block III variants — a signal of South Korea’s determination to localise high-performance propulsion and position itself as a serious player in global defence exports.
With projects like this, Hanwha Aerospace is poised to be a cornerstone of South Korea’s next-generation air power — spanning manned fighters and the future of advanced unmanned systems alike.
