General Atomics’ Mojave Makes First Flight From South Korean Dokdo Amphibious Assault Ship
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems’ Mojave short takeoff and landing unmanned aerial system made its first-ever ship to shore flight on November 12, taking off from the ROKS Dokdo amphibious assault ship off the coast of Pohang, South Korea, before landing at Pohang Navy Airfield.
The flight is the first time the Republic of Korea Navy has flown a fixed-wing drone from any of its warships, and is the second time the Mojave has been operated off of a warship with a flight deck, with the drone previously tested on the Royal Navy’s HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carrier last November.
According to a Republic of Korea Navy social media post announcing the successful trial, the Mojave used was loaded aboard the Dokdo on November 4, with the drone assembled and tested for a week before the trial mission. The Mojave was controlled by an employee of General Atomics for the hour-long trial, with the Mojave making a simulated landing approach near the ship.
The Republic of Korea Navy added that the experiment intended to explore how it could employ aerial drones like the Mojave as part of its exploration of manned-unmanned teaming and autonomous systems. In particular, the experience would influence the possible modifications to ROK Navy ships to optimize them for operation of fixed-wing drones.
General Atomics says the trial is also part of Seoul’s initial evaluation of the drone for its requirements, with Republic of Korea Army officials and other government representatives supporting the test. In a press statement, the drone manufacturer also stated that the production version of the Mojave will be known as the Gray Eagle STOL, emphasizing its commonality with the conventional MQ-1C Gray Eagle.
“We applaud the South Korean navy for its foresight in examining the unique capability of GE STOL for its fleet. This demonstration illustrates the ability of the GE STOL to safely operate on many types of aircraft-capable ships, which opens myriad new ways our allies can use this UAS to support multi-domain naval operations,” said GA-ASI CEO Linden Blue.
“The demo highlighted the versatility of STOL aboard a warship, in the Dokdo, designed not for fixed-wing aircraft but solely for helicopters. Gray Eagle STOL’s flight proves that navies can add significant new capability without costly major modifications to their existing warships,” said South Korean Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Yang Yong-mo.