Twelve attack drones that are capable of zeroing in on North Korean leaders and military targets will be deployed in March or April, the South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo reported this week.  The Gray Eagle/MQ-1Cs will be based at the US air base in Kunsan. 

Chosun reported that a hangar had already been built for the drones and that support facilities and personnel had arrived at the air base. 

The Gray Eagle, which has an 18-yard wingspan, can work on a variety of missions including attack, reconnaissance, surveillance, and infiltration as well as provide imagery to ground patrols.  Its ability to work in a 248-mile radius means it can fly across nearly all of North Korea. 

This wouldn’t be the US’s first time sending attack drones to South Korea.  In March of last year, the US began deploying attack drones to counter “provocative actions” by North Korea.