S. Korea to deploy suicide UAVs, advanced attack drones on trial next year

The military plans to deploy suicide unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and gun-shooting drones on a trial basis next year under a rapid acquisition project aimed at better responding to fast-evolving future battle environments, the arms procurement agency said Wednesday.

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration said it has signed contracts with companies to acquire three types of advanced attack drones -- the suicide UAVs, drones that fire guns at ground targets and small-sized drones with surveillance and attack functions -- which will be deployed on a trial run in the next three to six months.

The agency launched the rapid acquisition project in May to bring competitive items to the military in a swift manner to capitalize on innovative technologies for military purposes.

"The rapid acquisition project is aimed at applying the private sector's fast-evolving new technologies to the military. It is expected to be an innovative model to improve defense capabilities down the road," agency chief Wang Jung-hong said. (Yonhap)