Watching Pyongyang: Seoul Buys Four Global Hawk Surveillance Drones from US
The South Korean Air Force (ROKAF) has announced the purchase of four Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicles, advanced drones built on US military contract for surveillance missions.
The drones, which cost $223 million apiece, are being purchased as part of ROKAF's new program of airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR). ROKAF told lawmakers in Seoul that the acquisition of the first two drones is set to take place in December, with two more to arrive in 2019. The drones will be based out of the Gyeryongdae military compound in South Chungcheong Province, the military center of the country.
The Global Hawks are expected to be used to monitor North Korean missile and nuclear activities, and act as part of South Korea's "Peace Eye" early warning program in the case of a North Korean missile launch. While Seoul already operates an ISR program, the Global Hawks are a near-billion dollar attempt to improve its efficacy.
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