Videos showing Ukrainian forces using drones to eliminate North Korean soldiers deployed to Russia have recently gone viral, fueling growing interest in unmanned weapon systems. In response, South Korean defense companies are accelerating efforts to develop land, sea, and air unmanned weapons to prepare for an increasingly automated battlefield.
LIG Nex1 signed a contrㄹact last week with S. Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration to develop an unmanned reconnaissance vessel. This comes about two months after the company was selected as the final preferred bidder in September for the 40 billion won ($27 million) project.
By 2027, LIG Nex1 will develop two 12-meter unmanned surface vessels designed to conduct surveillance and reconnaissance missions at forward naval bases and key ports. The vessels will be the first unmanned surface systems integrated into the Navy’s hybrid combat framework, dubbed Navy Sea GHOST.
Unmanned surface vessels are considered central to the future of maritime unmanned systems.
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries is also developing an unmanned surface vessel called Tenebris, in partnership with U.S.-based big data company Palantir Technologies. The project, which combines Hyundai’s autonomous navigation and integrated ship management systems with Palantir’s artificial intelligence (AI) platform, is expected to be completed by 2026.
LIG Nex1 is also investing in unmanned technologies for land and air. On Dec. 11, the company signed a memorandum of understanding with U.S. drone manufacturer Skydio to jointly develop military drones for the Indo-Pacific region. The collaboration aims to integrate LIG Nex1′s precision electronics with Skydio’s X10D autonomous drone platform. By utilizing LIG Nex1′s supply chain and manufacturing expertise, Skydio seeks to boost drone production while cutting costs.
Military drones have evolved into advanced strategic weapons, utilizing cutting-edge AI technology for not only reconnaissance but also precision-guided target identification and direct strikes.
According to U.S. market research firm MarketsandMarkets, the global military drone market is projected to grow from $13 billion in 2023 to $18.2 billion in 2028, expanding at an annual rate of 7%. During the same period, the number of military drones is expected to rise from 34,945 to 51,930.
Meanwhile, Hanwha Aerospace and Hyundai Rotem are developing AI-powered multipurpose unmanned vehicles. Hanwha Aerospace recently completed Arion-SMET, a multipurpose vehicle capable of carrying small arms like rifles. The company is now working on another model, equipped with heavy weaponry such as guided missiles, with plans for deployment by 2030.
