South Korea continues production of tanks and wheeled AFVs
A K1A2 tank of the ROK Army fires a 120mm round downrange. (Gordon Arthur)
With no reduction in tensions on the Korean Peninsula, Seoul continues to modernise its extensive AFV fleet.
The Republic of Korea Army (ROKA) continues to benefit from new orders and ongoing production of AFVs, including both tracked and wheeled armour.
On 27 December 2021, the Defense Production Promotion Committee endorsed a plan to begin series production of a command variant of the Hyundai Rotem K808 8x8 vehicle.
This 8x8 armoured command post vehicle for the ROKA will be acquired with a budget of KRW1.51 trillion ($1.2 billion) from 2022-29. This sum of money indicates numerous vehicles will be procured, but no number has been divulged.
Then, in late January, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced that
Already have an account? Log in
Want to keep reading this article?
More from Land Warfare
-
![Dedicated drone munitions could unlock modular mission potential]()
Dedicated drone munitions could unlock modular mission potential
Top attacks have proven effective against heavily armoured vehicles in Ukraine. A new family of uncrewed aerial system-delivered munitions is looking to press that advantage further.
-
![Elbit bets on local content for US howitzer bid as it faces off against popular systems]()
Elbit bets on local content for US howitzer bid as it faces off against popular systems
The Israeli company hopes that producing its Sigma artillery system wholly in the US will help it win a key US Army contract, but it will be up against the popular CAESAR Mk II wheeled weapon and the K9 tracked.
-
![Rheinmetall and KNDS tank tie-up narrows trans-European options]()
Rheinmetall and KNDS tank tie-up narrows trans-European options
The French and German governments signed an agreement in June 2018 to cooperate on the development of a new main battle tank under the Main Ground Combat System programme but the effort has struggled. This new agreement may damage it further.
