Korean Air is teaming up with Archer Aviation to develop a military variant of the Midnight eVTOL aircraft for troop transport, medical evacuation, and search-and-rescue missions.

According to an article in The Korean Herald on 4 August: “Under the cooperation framework, Korean Air will lead the military conversion and systems integration, while Archer supplies technical support and shares its airworthiness-certification experience.”

It adds that Seoul has made the technology a national priority as it sees it as a growth engine for its defence industry and a faster method to move troops around the mountainous Korean peninsula.

The development is part of what Korean Air calls its advanced air mobility (AAM) initiative, where it wants to lead in this emerging sector of the defence aerospace industry. Korea wants to build its own AAM certification framework and “reach a world-class capability of its own.”

According to the publication, a successful project could include the transfer of know-how, phased localisation, and a strengthened industry base.

Archer x @KoreanAir_KE 🇰🇷

We're proud to announce that Korean Air has selected Archer as its exclusive partner to introduce eVTOL aircraft in Korea with Midnight – including a potential purchase of up to 100 Midnight aircraft.

This collaboration positions Korea to be a leader… pic.twitter.com/ueQhItEYl2

— Archer (@flyarcher) October 20, 2025

Korea is also interested in export opportunities. It fits with the country’s wider defence aerospace development that includes the KF-21 fighter jet, the KAI FA-50 light combat aircraft and advanced trainer, and various other programmes.

US Air Force testing provides foundation for military Midnight eVTOL

Archer’s Midnight has already been tested by the US Air Force for military missions in Korea like troop transport, search-and-rescue, and MEDEVAC.

Archer delivered its first Midnight eVTOL aircraft to the US Air Force in August 2024, a month after the DoD accepted the military airworthiness assessment for the aircraft.

It was delivered to the USAF as part of the AFWERX Agility Prime contract valued at up to $142 million. The contract was for up to six aircraft for evaluation plus a simulator. As of mid-2026, it is unclear if any more than the initial aircraft have been delivered.

The US Air Force has also signed contracts and taken delivery of eVTOL aircraft from Joby Aviation. The 2023 contract was for up to nine aircraft, of which four are known to have been delivered. Contracts also exist with Beta Technologies and other companies.

Many of these air taxi companies are developing dual-use aircraft and specific variants for military applications.

During the 2026 Farnborough Air Show, Archer and Anduril unveiled the new autonomous Thunder VTOL aircraft intended to function as a loyal wingman drone for helicopters like the Apache attack helicopter.

It also comes with the commercial Archer Halo variant designed for cargo transportation.

Military programme builds on Korean Air deal for up to 100 Archer Midnight aircraft

In October 2025, Archer Aviation reported it had signed an agreement to commercialize Midnight in Korea “across multiple applications and use cases.” The announcement stated that as part of the relationship, Korean Air is expected to purchase up to 100 eVTOL Midnight aircraft.

Archer stated, “This collaboration positions Korea to be a leader in adopting advanced aviation technologies by exclusively leveraging Archer’s leading next-generation technologies and Korean Air’s extensive experience in aircraft operation and maintenance in the Republic of Korea.”

Seoul is targeting commercial urban air mobility to commence by 2028.