South Korean military paves way for robotic vehicles in its ranks

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — As its army appears to be like to faucet new applied sciences to compensate for a dwindling conscript pressure, South Korea has launched a young to obtain unmanned floor autos for the nation’s Military and Marines Corps.

A young revealed by the Protection Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) earlier this month lists a funds of KRW49.63 billion ($36.6 million) for multipurpose variants of the bottom robots.

The autos might be bought domestically, mentioned the discover, by way of a aggressive tender. After contract signature, manufacturing of an unspecified amount will proceed until December 2026.

The bid marks the primary main acquisition program for Seoul’s floor troops to obtain operational UGVs, Kim Jae Yeop, a senior researcher on the Sungkyun Institute for International Technique in Seoul, instructed Protection Information. The autos are envisioned to hold out reconnaissance, transportation and frivolously armed missions alongside manned floor formations.

In keeping with Kim, there are two main candidates for the bid: Hyundai Rotem and Hanwha Aerospace. “Each firms are vital Korean protection contractors, particularly for land techniques, and have been continuing with their very own UGV improvement applications,” he mentioned.

Hyundai Rotem confirmed to Protection Information that it’s going to take part within the tender, although it declined to specify what platform it should supply.

As for its credentials, a spokesperson famous that the corporate “was the only real bidder chosen for a speedy demonstration acquisition undertaking after initially proposing it to the Korean Military” in November 2020.

That $3.6 million undertaking, a precursor to at the moment’s procurement effort, concerned battery-powered HR-Sherpa-based 6×6 UGVs. “Hyundai Rotem’s UGV is the one car that has been in precise operation for greater than two years in varied terrains in Korea,” the corporate spokesperson mentioned.

Hanwha Aerospace additionally has been energetic within the UGV subject, and the corporate can level to abroad expertise. For instance, the U.S. army selected Hanwha’s Arion-SMET 6×6 UGV to take part in a Overseas Comparative Testing program that occurred in Hawaii final December. It was the primary Korean UGV ever evaluated for potential adoption by the USA.

The Arion-SMET, its identify standing for Small Multipurpose Gear Transport, weighs 1.8 tonnes, and its batteries allow a highway vary of 100km. South Korea’s military examined it in 2021, and it was demonstrated to U.S. Forces Korea the next yr.

In separate information, DAPA accepted a two-year pilot undertaking, starting within the third quarter of this yr, for a UGV-based air protection system for the Marine Corps. A prototype is to be prepared by the second half of 2026.

Armed with a 40mm weapon, the car is supposed to robotically detect, monitor and destroy intruding drones. The brand new platform is meant to interchange current manned antiaircraft techniques, thus streamlining personnel numbers.

Close by Japan can also be adopting UGVs. In keeping with a Rheinmetall press launch issued April 8, the German firm will provide three Mission Grasp SP autos. Japan is slated to obtain these UGVs outfitted with cargo, surveillance and distant weapon station payloads in January 2025.