Military

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  S. Korea develops shock-activated high-performance thermal battery for precision-guided munitions SEOUL -- South Korea's defense technology development agency has developed a shock-activated small high-performance thermal battery for precision-guided munitions. The battery is ideal for powering "winged artillery shells" that use GPS and an inertial measurement unit to glide and accurately hit the target. Thermal batteries, also known as molten salt batteries or liquid sodium batteries, use an electrolyte made of a mixture of solid sodium or liquid salt that tur 2022-03-08
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  ​S. Korea embarks on research of cluster control technology for insect spy robots SEOUL -- A consortium led by LIG Nex1, a major defense company in South Korea, has embarked on a five-year research project to develop technologies for the control of micro-sized insect spy robots that operate in clusters like ants and bees. The tiny robots can be utilized in reconnaissance missions by collaborating with manned and unmanned equipment such as military drones and patrol robots. Micro-sized robots inspired by insects are being researched globally, especially in the mi 2022-03-07
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  Defense contractors' cyber security system faces inspection to prevent hacking SEOUL -- The security system of South Korean defense contractors will be scrutinized to find possible breach points and prevent cyberattacks including data breaches and hacking. The project is aimed at helping medium-sized companies upgrade their cyber security capabilities. According to Ahn Lab, an online security solution and service company in South Korea, cryptocurrency exchanges and data systems of government bodies and partner companies were the main target of cyberattacks in 2022-03-04
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  Date set for flight test to verify performance of AESA radar for KF-21 fighter jet SEOUL -- A flight test to verify the performance of a computer-controlled array antenna system for South Korea's homemade KF-21 fighter jet will begin in domestic airspace in mid-March, using a Boeing 737-500 plane modified into a flying testbed in South Africa. The system is an essential device that determines the survival of fighter jets in aerial warfare and is used to detect, track and form images of aerial and ground targets. Active electronically scanned array (AESA) rad 2022-03-04
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  Presidential office confirms 'successful' test of S. Korea's Iron Dome interceptor SEOUL -- In a belated acknowledgment that broke the military's strategic silence on the development of sensitive weapons, the office of President Moon Jae-in vaunted the "successful" test of South Korea's low altitude missile defense system (LAMD) that intercepts North Korea's long-range artillery shells and cruise missiles. LAMD is the Korean version of Iron Dome, a dome-shaped air defense network that Israel has developed to intercept and destroy short-range 2022-02-28
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  Hanwha Group to exapnd Australian footprint based on defense cooperation SEOUL -- South Korea's Hanwha Group has expressed strong interest in investment and business opportunities in Australia from construction and aerospace to urban air mobility following a $785 million defense contract to locally produce K9 self-propelled howitzers and ammunition resupply vehicles at a manufacturing base to be built in Victoria. The deal to produce AS9 Huntsman, the Australian version of Hanwha Defense's K9, marked the first time Australia has acquired major de 2022-02-25
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  Anti-aircraft laser weapon test behind closed doors draws attention in S. Korea SEOUL -- The development of anti-aircraft laser weapons under development in South Korea drew attention following unconfirmed news reports that the early-stage evaluation of a prototype was conducted behind closed at a site where missiles and other strategic weapons have been tested for decades. There were multiple news reports that a laser weapon was showcased on February 23 at a test site in Anheung, some 200 kilometers southwest of Seoul, along with L-SAM, a missile defense syste 2022-02-24
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  Hanwha Defense confirms site for K9 production plant in Australia SEOUL -- Hanwha Defense, a key defense contractor in South Korea, will build its first overseas manufacturing plant in Australia to churn out K9 self-propelled howitzers and probably Redback infantry fighting vehicles if it beats a German competitor. It can serve as a base to deal with exports to European countries. The plant will be built on 32,000 square meters of land in a site near Avalon Airport in the Greater Geelong area of Victoria. The groundbreaking ceremony may take pl 2022-02-24
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  ​S. Korea to upgrade surveillance system in border areas using AI SEOUL -- Using artificial intelligence technology, South Korea's defense ministry will lessen the heavy work of border guards and improve a border surveillance system. The cutting-edge technology will be adopted at a frontline infantry division. At a high-level defense technology committee on February 22, defense and science ministry officials agreed to cooperate in upgrading the military's surveillance system using AI technologies. The defense ministry will reinforce a guar 2022-02-23
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  S. Korea proposes development of space rocket using hybrid engine SEOUL -- South Korea will push for the development of a new space rocket installed with a hybrid engine using solid and liquid fuels together that can increase the weight of space launch vehicles in a shorter period of time. A hybrid engine can operate space launch vehicles more flexibly and quickly depending on missions and purposes and significantly reduce the time required to advance technology. The development of a hybrid rocket motor that uses one propellant in solid form and t 2022-02-23
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  ADD develops methanol reforming technology for submarine hydrogen fuel cells SEOUL -- South Korea's defense technology development agency has developed the technology of methanol-reforming plant for hydrogen fuel cells that can enhance the operational performance of submarines. It directly produces high-purity hydrogen that can be produced in submarines by reforming methanol. Submarine fuel cells use high-purity hydrogen as fuel to increase the underwater time. An air-independent fuel cell propulsion system increases underwater endurance, diving depth 2022-02-22
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  S. Korea's light armed helicopter project passes low-temperature flight test in Canada SEOUL -- The development of South Korea's first light-armed helicopter crossed a major hurdle in the assessment of its effectiveness and suitability for combat, about four years after a prototype was released in 2018. The nine-week test was done in a Canadian territory with an average winter temperature of minus 32 degrees Celsius. The test of the light-armed helicopter (LAH) developed by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) was carried out in Yellow Knife, the capital city of Canad 2022-02-18
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  Evaluation of Hanwha Redback's operational fit in S. Korea scheduled to begin in April SEOUL -- A Redback infantry fighting vehicle developed by Hanwha Defense will be tested at an army panzer battalion in South Korea to evaluate its operational fit in April, a month after the tracked combat vehicle returned home following its successful test and evaluation as one of the two final candidates for an Australian military project to replace old armored personnel carriers. Three prototypes of a Redback variant called AS21 have been sent to Australia for tests and evalua 2022-02-18
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  Defense tech agency develops 3D precision targeting technique for guided weapon systems SEOUL -- Through a four-year project, South Korea's defense technology development agency has developed a three-dimensional precision targeting technique for guided weapon systems. The technique allows weapon operators to quickly extract target information including location data. While some guided weapons such as fire-and-forget tank hunter missiles rely on cameras and sensors to find the optimal path to its prey, most weapon systems need the manual work of inserting various 2022-02-08
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  S. Korea starts field deployment of homemade 120mm self-propelled mortar system SEOUL -- The field deployment of South Korea's homemade 120-millimeter self-propelled mortar system integrated into a tracked armored personnel carrier has begun to replace the aging 4.2-inch system which has been in use for decades. The new system features automated fire control and improved firepower support capabilities that enable a rapid and precise attack. The first batch of 120mm self-propelled mortar systems along with fire control vehicles has been delivered to a mechan 2022-02-04
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  Egypt becomes first foreign country to adopt K9's naval variant from Hanwha Defense SEOUL -- Egypt is the first foreign country to adopt a naval variant of South Korea's K9 self-propelled howitzer as an area denial weapon system that is used to prevent an adversary from occupying or traversing an area of land, sea or air. Along with technology transfer, Hanwha Defense will provide a variety of support programs including training and maintenance. It would be the first export of a naval K9 variant, proving the tracked artillery’s versatile operational cap 2022-02-03
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  Hanwha Systems shows confidence over superiority of radar installed in Cheongung missile interceptor SEOUL -- Through a major defense contract with the United Arab Emirates, Hanwha Systems showed confidence over the performance superiority of its multifunction radar system installed in South Korea's Cheongung homemade medium-range guided interceptor capable of blocking both ballistic missiles and aircraft and vowed to push for exports to other countries in the Middle East and Southeast. Together with LIG Nex1, Hanwha Systems is a key contractor in a deal worth $3.5 bil 2022-01-17
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  Performance of homemade anti-missile jamming system proven thru flight test SEOUL -- The performance of South Korea's homemade anti-missile system has been proven in a flight test using a military helicopter. A defense technology development agency confirmed that the system's response time has been drastically shortened to fend off a close distance attack from portable anti-aircraft missiles. The Agency for Defense Development (ADD) said that South Korea became the sixth country in the world to develop directional infrared countermeasures (DIRCM), 2022-01-12
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  Combat deployment of unmanned military ground vehicles begins after 6-month test SEOUL -- The warfare-ready deployment of multi-purpose two-ton unmanned ground vehicles developed by Hyundai Rotem, a subsidiary of South Korea's Hyundai auto group, began after they passed a six-month military test operation in front-line border areas. It was the first unmanned vehicle that has been introduced by South Korean troops. Hyundai Rotem said its six-wheeled multi-purpose unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) with cameras that can detect images up to four kilometers away d 2022-01-10
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  [CES 2022] Hanwha Systems ties up with Funzin to develop edge AI system LAS VEGAS -- Hanwha Systems, a defense contractor affiliated with South Korea's Hanwha Group, tied up with Funzin, a domestic software development and edge AI solution company, to develop an edge AI system that uses machine learning algorithms to process data generated by a hardware device at the local level. A memorandum of understanding was signed between Hanwha Systems and Funzin ahead of CES 2022 in Las Vegas. Edge AI is a core technology of an edge cloud system with high pe 2022-01-05