A prototype of South Korean Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) has been revealed undergoing flight tes...
The indigenously developed KUS-FS is designed for armed land and sea Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions with endurance of up to 24 hours.
KUF-FS features a V-tail and vertical ventral fin similar to the US-built General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper UAV.
It is reportedly have a wider wingspan than the Reaper at 25 m and is powered by a 1200 hp Pratt & Whitney PT6 turboprop engine.
The prototype with marking 001 in South Korean Air Force (ROKAF) livery is also equipped with four under wing weapon stations, with one station holding a trial munition.
Onboard sensors include a chin mounted EO/IR turret, a 360 degree capable belly mounted maritime radar to detect targets at sea and Electronic Support Measures (under fuselage, behind wings) to identify and locate signals from maritime vessels.
Unlike in Reaper, the KUS-FS's main landing gear retracts inward into wings, rather than into fuselage.
In 2013, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has unveiled UAV development program, that can carry a payload of 500 kg (1,100lb).
The UAV is designed to fly at an altitude of up to 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) with radar scanning ability of up to 100 kilometers (62 miles).
