Role & capabilities
- Reconnaissance aircraft
- Primary domain
- Air
- System type
- Reconnaissance aircraft
- Developer / manufacturer
- Korean Air, with LIG Defence & Aerospace and Hanwha Systems
- Origin / production countries
- South Korea
- Other names
- MUAV; KUS FS; Medium Altitude Unmanned Air Vehicle
- Variants / configurations
- KUS-FS / MUAV production configuration announced April 2026
- Operators / programme customers
- Republic of Korea Air Force — intended recipient; first delivery planned early 2027
Evidence & current status
Production aircraft confirmed in April 2026. Planned 2027 delivery is not treated as completed service entry.
KUS-FS is Korean Air's medium-altitude strategic reconnaissance programme, also identified as MUAV. Korean Air announced the first production aircraft's roll-out on 8 April 2026. The statement names LIG Defence & Aerospace and Hanwha Systems as participating companies and describes the integration of the aircraft, ground control, data link, sensors and avionics.
The production aircraft is considerably larger than Korea's tactical UAVs: the release gives a 26-metre wingspan, 13-metre length and a 1,200-horsepower turboprop. Korean Air reported that aircraft testing had begun in March 2026 and planned system and flight tests with the operating unit from July. Initial Air Force delivery was scheduled for early 2027, subject to verification.
Accordingly, the status records a production commitment and testing, rather than an already accepted operational fleet. A roll-out is a manufacturing milestone, and the future delivery date remains a plan. The brochure's strategic-aircraft identity connects the KUS-FS name with MUAV, while the 2026 release supplies the production configuration used here.
Sourced specifications
Figures apply to the named configuration. Maximum values are not guaranteed operating performance.
| Specification | Reported value | Context & source |
|---|---|---|
| Airframe | Fixed-wing strategic reconnaissance UAV | Supplier-published figure; configuration and operating conditions affect performance. Source ↗ |
| Launch / recovery | Not established from the reviewed public sources. | Public data gap; no estimate or neighbouring variant value substituted. Source ↗ |
| Propulsion | 1,200 hp turboprop | Supplier-published figure; configuration and operating conditions affect performance. Source ↗ |
| Dimensions | 13 m length; 26 m wingspan | Supplier-published figure; configuration and operating conditions affect performance. Source ↗ |
| Mass | Not established from the reviewed public sources. | Public data gap; no estimate or neighbouring variant value substituted. Source ↗ |
| Endurance | Not established from the reviewed public sources. | Public data gap; no estimate or neighbouring variant value substituted. Source ↗ |
| Range | Not established from the reviewed public sources. | Public data gap; no estimate or neighbouring variant value substituted. Source ↗ |
| Speed | Not established from the reviewed public sources. | Public data gap; no estimate or neighbouring variant value substituted. Source ↗ |
| Altitude | Above 10 km described | Manufacturer statement; no precise ceiling is given. Source ↗ |
| Payload | Not established from the reviewed public sources. | Public data gap; no estimate or neighbouring variant value substituted. Source ↗ |
| Sensors | Reconnaissance imaging sensors; exact production fit not specified | Supplier-published figure; configuration and operating conditions affect performance. Source ↗ |
| Communications / navigation | Integrated ground control, data link and avionics | Supplier-published figure; configuration and operating conditions affect performance. Source ↗ |
Documented milestones
First production aircraft rolled out
Korean Air announced roll-out; testing and acceptance remained ahead of planned early-2027 delivery.
Read the announcement ↗
Publication history
- — Added a sourced global catalogue profile with configuration-specific data and explicit evidence limits.
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Follow the evidence
Source types identify who makes the claim. Programme milestones and supplier statements should be read in context.