Hanwha Aerospace and GA-ASI join forces to co-develop UAVs
The $510 million partnership will see Hanwha invest to co-develop and manufacture the Gray Eagle STOL, with a maiden flight test expected by 2027.
ADVEW is being developed for use on USN F/A-18E/F Super Hornets. (Photo: USN)
The Delta Design Review of the Advanced Electronic Warfare (ADVEW) prototype for the US Navy’s (USN’s) F/A-18E/F Super Hornet has been successfully completed, an important stage for a system which may replace legacy systems on the aircraft.
ADVEW, which is being made by RTX’s Raytheon, will be considered as a replacement for the existing AN/ALQ-214 integrated defensive electronic countermeasure and AN/ALR-67(V)3 radar warning receiver.
It is described by the company as “integrating sixth-generation capabilities into the navy’s primary strike fighter aircraft”.
The review assessed the weapon’s replaceable assemblies and how each part of the hardware system works together to meet required specifications.
According to a statement from Raytheon: “The review confirmed that the system can provide critical electronic attack and electronic support measures capabilities.
“Raytheon’s integration of digital and model-based systems engineering tools in the development of ADVEW provides requirements traceability, streamlines system integration and mitigates risk to enable rapid aircraft integration.”
In December 2024, Raytheon was awarded a US$80 million contract in a downselect to prototype the system for the USN.
The successful completion of this review begins the next phase, which includes government laboratory testing, to validate Open Mission Systems compliance and to demonstrate advanced system attributes.
The $510 million partnership will see Hanwha invest to co-develop and manufacture the Gray Eagle STOL, with a maiden flight test expected by 2027.
The country was reportedly “months” away from an official aircraft selection, as of mid-March 2025.
The ongoing study was first announced by Embraer in late 2024 with the Brazilian Air Force, with this latest addition announced during the LAAD defence and security exhibition.
The potential sale, approved by the US to the Philippines, is for 20 F-16 Block 70/72 jets, days after US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth visited the country.
The acquisition of four C-390 aircraft follows the country’s signing of an MoU in 2023 and formal selection in 2024. It will join the existing contract held by the Netherlands and Austria.
The counter-UAS prototype, named Low-cost Air Defence or ‘LOAD’, will be used to combat kamikaze UAS.