South Korea’s June 26 plan to procure tens of thousands of inexpensive military drones will test whether the country’s defense industry, which has been built around costly, long-lasting export platforms, can adapt to a market defined by thin margins, rapid redesign and constant replacement.

The strategy calls for more than 20,000 low-cost operational drones by 2030, around 60,000 domestically produced training models and accelerated deployment of the Korean Low-cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System.

The long-range strike drone belongs to the same broad design family as Iran’s Shahed-136, reflecting South Korea’s shift toward weapons intended to be produced, deployed and replaced