In a major development for the local company, South African company Milkor Aerospace and Defence, developer and manufacturer of the Milkor 380 medium-altitude and long-endurance uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV), and South Korean defence electronics and ICT company Hanwha Systems, part of the Hanwha Group, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to integrate a cutting-edge South Korean radar system on to the South African UAV. The significance of the agreement was signalled by the fact that it was signed at the 2025 Paris Air Show, the world’s leading such exhibition during this year.

Under the MoU, the Milkor 380 would be equipped with Hanwha’s Active Electronically-Scanned Array (AESA) radar. The result would be an export-ready and fully integrated reconnaissance and surveillance system that could be marketed both regionally and globally.

“This partnership brings together two highly capable organizations that complement one another,” affirmed Milkor United Arab Emirates CEO Julian Coetzee. “We are looking forward to our continued collaborative efforts with Hanwha. By combining our resources and expertise, we believe we can create great opportunities, not just in the Middle East but across international markets.”

“This collaboration allows us to combine Hanwha’s advanced technology with Milkor’s proven UAV platform to deliver next-generation defence capabilities to global customers,” highlighted Hanwha Systems Defence Electronics Business president Hyuck Park.

The Milkor 380 can fly for more than 35 hours and has a range that exceeds 4 000 km. It can accommodate a payload of more than 220 kg. Designed for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and precision attack missions, it is a multirole platform, fitted with several hardpoints to carry payloads. It is operated using a modular open systems architecture, making it highly adaptable to different missions. For beyond-line-of-sight communications it is fitted with a satellite communications system.

Hanwha had great expertise in the field of AESA radars. The system to be integrated on to the Milkor is a synthetic aperture radar which will equip the UAV with a system capable of high-resolution imaging, all-weather reconnaissance, and Ground and Maritime Moving Target Indication capability. This will greatly increase the UAV’s effectiveness in the gathering of intelligence and the creation of situational awareness.