On November 12th, the ROK Navy conducted a takeoff test of the General Atomics “Mojave” drone aboard the ROKS Dokdo, opening the possibility of converting the amphibious assault ship, about to receive a mid-life update, to conduct drone carrier operations. This was the second time in the world that the “Mojave” drone took off from a “flat top”, following its test from the British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales one year ago.
Until now, the ROK Navy had only operated vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) on its vessels, making this the first instance of launching a fixed-wing drone from a large vessel with a flight deck. The fixed-wing drone “Mojave” used in the test was selected for its suitability to take off by taxiing on a relatively short flight deck of around 150 meters. With a wingspan of 16 meters and a length of 9 meters, the drone’s components were loaded onto the ROKS Dokdo on November 4th, followed by a week of assembly and test runs to prepare for the combat experiment.
The Mojave drone with short take off capablity can fly at a maximum altitude of 10,000 feet, at speeds up to 140 knots (about 259 km/h). Equipped with a new engine and enhanced wing lift, it has a maximum payload capacity of 1.5 tons, allowing it to carry up to 16 Hellfire missiles. In “surveillance mode,” it can remain airborne for over 20 hours, while in “armed mode,” it is expected to have an endurance of around 9 hours. Currently, only the first prototype of the Mojave has been produced. It is expected to take an additional 3 to 5 years for development to be completed and for it to be deployed in actual operations.
According to the field report, the Mojave took off from ROKS Dokdo, flew twice along its port side to perform a “simulated landing procedure,” then proceeded toward the Naval Air Command in Pohang, where it landed on the runway.
Unlike the test done on the British aircraft carrier, the test done on the ROKS Dokdo was a demonstration to check whether the Korean flat top can have an auxilary capability to operate Mojave (or MQ-9B SeaGuardian with STOL kit) drones at sea. The total length of the flight deck on Dokdo is about 199 meters, enough for the drone to land which requires 100 meters. However, the width of the flight deck is currently limiting the Mojave drone from landing, therefore the test was replaced with “simulated landing procedures”.
The Navy explained that this experiment was conducted as part of establishing a complex maritime manned-unmanned combat system, aiming to explore ways to rapidly secure and deploy unmanned aerial capabilities in response to the current grave security situation. Additionally, the purpose of this experiment is to derive lessons for the design, construction, and operational requirements of drones on large platforms, including the Dokdo and light aircraft carriers. However, the ROK Navy clarified that this combat experiment is not specifically for the acquisition of the Mojave; rather, they are considering a range of drones, including the Mojave.
Given the ROK Navy’s extensive area to cover, deploying drones directly from ships can drastically reduce operational response times compared to launching from land. The Navy plans to gradually expand drone missions, from identifying and detecting surface targets to operating sonar systems for submarine detection and eventually conducting attack missions.
“Through this combat experiment, we aim to validate the effectiveness of unmanned capabilities and introduce and operate diverse unmanned assets early to prepare for future battlefield environments and manpower reductions.”
Vice Admiral Yong-mo Yang, Cheif of Naval Operations
Unlike other weapon systems, South Korea’s development of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has progressed relatively slowly, focusing primarily on the Army and Air Force. However, with this opportunity, the ROK Navy can take preliminary steps toward operating drones at sea before moving to construct a planned unmanned command and control vessel. It is anticipated that, along with China’s recent construction of a dedicated drone carrier, this development will contribute to a growing trend in Northeast Asia toward drone carriers.
