Korean Air Aerospace Plans LOWUS Flight Tests by End of 2026

Korean Air Aerospace Division (KE-ASD) plans to start flight tests of LOWUS by the end of 2026, Director of International Business Haneul Kim said. The company is developing the low-observable uncrewed aircraft as a loyal-wingman project and plans to enter it in South Korea’s anticipated Collaborative Combat Aircraft competition.

Key details

• KE-ASD has handed over two LOWUS technology demonstrators to South Korea’s Agency for Defense Development, Kim said.
• LOWUS measures 10.4 meters long and has a 9.4-meter wingspan.
• KE-ASD plans a full-scale development program for 2029.
• The aircraft’s initial mission is reconnaissance. Planned equipment includes an active electronically scanned array radar and electro-optical systems.
• A future turbofan under development by the Agency for Defense Development and Hanwha is rated at 5,500 pounds of thrust and is expected to be ready in 2032.

Two LOWUS technology demonstrators have been handed over to South Korea’s Agency for Defense Development, Haneul Kim said.

Why it matters

The reported development schedule moves from flight tests to planned trials pairing LOWUS with an Agency for Defense Development-operated KT-1 trainer in late 2027. KE-ASD has also demonstrated drone-swarm software with 22 drones, coordinating reconnaissance and swarm maneuvers during a September 2026 defense technology event.