US to Deploy Unmanned Attack Aircraft to South Korea

MQ-1C Grey Eagle unmanned aircraft system.

Tokyo, 15 Jumadil Akhir 1438/14 March 2017 (MINA) – The US will deploy an unmanned attack aircraft to its military unit in South Korea to enhance its strike capabilities against ground targets in North Korea, Seoul’s Yonhap News Agency reported on Monday.

Citing an unnamed military official “the US Army has begun the process to dispatch a squadron, which will operate the Grey Eagle unmanned aircraft, to a US unit in Gunsan (274 km south of Seoul),” the official was quoted as saying.

Escalating nuclear and missile threats from the North prompted the US to deploy the Grey Eagle aircraft to South Korea, according to the report.

The official said consultations are underway between South Korea and the US over the deployment.

The Grey Eagle Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) is capable of carrying four AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-surface missiles and four GPS-aided GBU-44/B Viper Strike glide bombs.

The weapons are capable of striking major military facilities located just north of the Military Demarcation Line bisecting the two Koreas, the official said.

“Gray Eagle features an automatic takeoff and landing system that allows the aircraft to be launched and recovered without any operator interaction.

It could reach speeds of up to 280 km per hour during its 30-hour operation time, the military official added. (T//RS5/RS1)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)