South Korea announces investment for UAVs, MH-60R acquisition

South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration has approved two separate programs: a domestically developed vertical-takeoff-and-landing reconnaissance UAV for Army division-level units and an additional MH-60R acquisition for the Navy. The UAV project is budgeted at KRW 2.16 trillion from 2027 to 2036 and is intended to provide roughly four times the surveillance capacity of current divisional assets. The MH-60R program is valued at KRW 3.24 trillion through 2032, with negotiations with Lockheed Martin completed and the helicopters intended to replace the Navy's 22 Lynx aircraft.