Military

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  Hanwha Defense upgrades multi-purpose unmanned ground vehicle for overseas sales SEOUL -- Hanwha Defense, a defense contractor affiliated with South Korea's Hanwha conglomerate, has upgraded its multi-purpose unmanned ground vehicle for overseas sales. The artificial intelligence-based model featuring an autonomous return function was selected for a military test operation in the second half of this year to check its performance, operational convenience and tactical operability. The prototype to be unveiled in July is a six-wheeled platform that strengthened 2021-03-31
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  Israel's Elbit joins hands with KAI to develop new unmanned aerial vehicle SEOUL -- Elbit Systems, an Israeli defense electronics company, joined hands with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), the sole aircraft maker in South Korea, to push for the development of new unmanned aerial vehicles and joint marketing in South Korea and abroad. Since it produced a reconnaissance UAV model in 2002, KAI has tried to develop various types of UAVs. Israeli firms have been key partners in South Korean defense programs. In early March, KAI agreed with Israel Aerospace 2021-03-15
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  KAI taps defense market for scientific, cost-effective LVC military training SEOUL -- Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), the sole aircraft maker in South Korea, will make a foray into the defense market for a scientific future training system that is drawing attention due to the development of advanced information and communication technologies. Military training events using real equipment are live simulations. A virtual simulation involves real people operating simulated systems. A constructive simulation is a computer program involving simulated people o 2021-03-11
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  Expelled transgender solider found dead at home ahead of reinstatement hearing ○◇ SEOUL -- Byun Hee-soo, a 22-year-old transgender soldier who has been the focus of social debate over her surgery while in service, was found dead. Rescuers discovered her body at her house after a state mental health clinic reported that it was not able to contact Byun for several days. Police asked for an autopsy to see if she committed suicide. The former army staff sergeant had been locked in a legal battle against military authorities since she publicly called for her undis 2021-03-04
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  KAI uses Israeli suicide drone technology to develop manned and unmanned teaming system SEOUL -- Israel's suicide drone technology can be used for the development of a manned and unmanned teaming system using light attack helicopters produced by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), the sole aircraft maker in South Korea. Its goal is to provide a new air-combat system using loitering munitions for military requirements. A loitering munition, also known as a suicide drone, loiters around the target area for some time and attacks once a target is located. The weapon enab 2021-03-04
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  Hanwha Systems works with antenna manufacturer to develop on-the-move satellite communication terminals SEOUL -- As modern military operations employ commercial satellites to fulfill theater capacity requirements, satellite communications on the move that support mobile ground forces are drawing attention. Hanwha Systems, a key defense contractor in South Korea, will work with a domestic satellite communication antenna manufacturer, to develop tactical on-the-move satellite communication terminals. Hanwha said in a statement that its antenna chipset technology would be combined with 2021-02-26
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  LIG Nex1 delivers new military radio sets for simultaneous data transmission and voice communication at the same time SEOUL -- LIG Nex1, a defense contractor in South Korea, began delivering next-generation military radio sets for large-capacity data transmission and voice communication at the same time to support the establishment of a future combat system using artificial intelligence, big data and deep learning. LIG Nex1 said in a statement on February 25 that it has developed tactical multi-band multirole radio (TMMR) with the help of the Agency for Defense Development, a national agency for 2021-02-25
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  S. Korea's military formalizes project to develop light aircraft carrier SEOUL -- South Korea's military formalized a project to develop a light aircraft carrier capable of carrying vertical landing combat jets despite unresolved disputes over its necessity. Some 2.33 trillion won ($2.09 billion) will be spent from 2022 to 2033 only on basic design and construction with indigenous technology, although it requires extra expenses to purchase weapons, aircraft and other equipment. The so-called CVX project got the nod at a conference chaired by Defense 2021-02-23
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  Hyundai shipyard starts building new Aegis destroyer for delivery in 2024 SEOUL -- South Korea embarked on the construction of three new guided-missile destroyers featuring an Aegis combat system. The new destroyers, which are 170 meters long and weigh 8,100 tons, can operate at a speed of up to 30 knots. Hyundai Heavy Industries will build the lead ship for delivery in November 2024. A ceremony was held on February 16 at the shipyard of Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) in the southeastern port city of Ulsan to mark the beginning of construction. Compared t 2021-02-16
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  S. Korea pushes ahead with quick development of advanced long-range radar system SEOUL -- After years of nerve-racking air confrontation with Russian and Chinese warplanes near its airspace, South Korea will push ahead with the quick development of an advanced long-range radar system to end its dependence on old U.S. equipment capable of scanning a broad and distant flying zone. Developers believe their technology level has been raised enough to catch up with U.S. technology. LIG Nex1 was selected for a military project worth 46 billion won ($41 million) to de 2021-02-08
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  S. Korea works on technologies to track military satellites with laser SEOUL -- For military use, South Korea will work on the development of technologies to track and identify space objects and satellites with lasers in response to calls for defensive measures against space-based weapons. South Korea has a long way to go, but the final goal is to develop a laser weapon system capable of destroying "killer satellites." The development of satellite tracking technologies was endorsed on January 27 at a meeting involving military officials, the 2021-01-27
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  All S. Korean infantry units backed by well-equipped teams of designated marksmen SEOUL -- South Korea's home-made K-14 sniper rifle capable of shooting down the enemy at a distance of up to one kilometer has been distributed to all frontline infantry units, along with an observation device featuring a thermal imaging camera and a high-precision laser. It took almost nine years since the rifle was first distributed to special forces in 2013. K14 is a .308 Winchester bolt-action sniper rifle that comes with a daytime scope, night vision sight and other acc 2021-01-26
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  S. Korea completes development of wheel-type command post vehicle SEOUL -- South Korea's military has completed the development of a wheel-type command post vehicle that would ensure the survival of frontline infantry units through the application of armored plates and positive air pressure equipment that can protect against chemical and biological warfare. It also enables a real-time grasp of combat situations as well as effective command and control in a network operational environment. The vehicle maintains a higher pressure inside than t 2021-01-25
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  S. Korea pushes for localization of X-band monolithic microwave integrated circuit based on gallium nitride SEOUL -- As an important defense project that will have a trickle-down effect on the private sector, South Korea will push for the localization of an X-band monolithic microwave integrated circuit based on gallium nitride that is used for radars, satellite communication and 5G mobile communication. The decision was made on January 19 at an online conference involving top officials from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Defense Ministry, the Ministry of Science and IC 2021-01-20
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  Hyundai Rotem selected to develop technologies for remote operation of unmanned tanks SEOUL -- Hyundai Rotem has been selected for a military project to develop technologies that can remotely operate unmanned mobile combat systems such as tanks, armored vehicles and self-propelled guns by utilizing its know-how as the manufacturer of South Korea's main K1 battle tank. Hyundai Rotem, a Hyundai auto group subsidiary, said that it was selected by a state agency for research and development in defense technology, to develop technologies for the remote operation of 2020-12-31
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  Unmanned underwater mine disposal system deployed for naval operations SEOUL -- An unmanned underwater mine disposal system developed by a South Korean company with independent technology has been deployed for naval operations. It can carry out operations against strong currents and operating time is longer than existing equipment imported from abroad. The deployment of Daeyang Electric's new mine disposal system began in 2018, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) controlled by the defense ministry said in a statement on Decemb 2020-12-29
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  Daewoo shipyard selected for military project to develop technology for electric warship SEOUL -- Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, a major shipbuilder in South Korea, has been selected for a military project to develop core technologies such as a control system and an integrated power system simulator for next-generation all-electric warships. Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) said it would form a consortium with the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute and Kookmin University to develop core technologies by 2024. The shipbuilder wa 2020-12-28
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  S. Korean front-line iron fences to be reinforced with unmanned monitoring device SEOUL -- South Korea will use an unmanned monitoring device backed by sensitive sensors to reinforce scientific surveillance equipment attached to front-line iron fences that have played a key role in blocking surprise attacks and intrusion by North Korean soldiers across the world's last Cold War frontier established at the end of the 1950-53 Korean War. Hanwha Systems, a major defense contractor in South Korea, will work with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAP 2020-12-17
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  S. Korea's Hanwha group signs joint defense research agreement with US military SEOUL -- South Korea's Hanwha Group has sealed a meaningful agreement with the U.S. military to conduct joint research and development of defense equipment and technologies. Hanwha is the first Korean enterprise to enter into such an agreement with the US Army. The agreement underlines Hanwha's push to position itself as a competitive defense firm in the global market. The defense group has sold military equipment abroad, including its K-9 self-propelled howitzer which is on 2020-12-16
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  Defense agency develops mine detector capable of detecting N. Korean wooden-box land mine SEOUL -- A new fully-localized mine detector that can be used for sweeping and mapping minimum metal land mines such as North Korean wooden-box land mines, was developed through a joint project led by Hanwha Systems, a major defense contractor in South Korea. The new detector will be deployed in 2022. The wooden-box mine used by North Korea is a copy of the Soviet mine that was used during World War II. It consists of a wooden box packed full of explosives and a pressure fuse. The 2020-12-14