Military

• 
  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
• 
  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
• 
  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
• 
  Home-made light attack chopper passed fit for combat in provisional evaluation results SEOUL -- South Korea's home-made light attack helicopter was found to be operationally suitable for combat in an interim decision by a state arms procurement agency controlled by the defense ministry, more than five years after development began, based on H-155, a twin-engine helicopter created by European aircraft maker Airbus. South Korea's sole aircraft maker, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) was involved in the development of a home-made light attack helicopter (LAH). De 2020-12-11
• 
  [FOCUS] Home-made helicopter developer frowns at Bell's bid to sell AH-1Z Viper for Marines SEOUL -- The developer of home-made military helicopters based on the Surion, a twin-engine, transport utility model which has been in service, frowned on a strident bid by U.S. aircraft maker Bell Textron to sell its AH-1Z Viper to South Korea's marine force which plans to operate about 20 attack choppers with a strong offensive power from 2026. To replace an aging fleet of utility helicopters for military and civilian use, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), the sole aircraft 2020-12-10
• 
  LIG Nex1 selected to develop self-driving underwater mine detector for naval operations SEOUL -- LIG Nex1, a defense contractor in South Korea, will develop an underwater mine detector for naval operations. Equipped with a supersonic camera and Sonar, the underwater robot can self-drive for more than 20 hours to find mines, monitor enemy infiltration routes and collect topographic Information for civilian rescue operations. LIG Nex1 was selected to develop the underwater mine detector using cutting-edge technologies such as autonomous underwater driving and obstacle 2020-12-09
• 
  Hanwha Systems selected for military project to test smartphone-based personal surveillance system SEOUL -- Hanwha Systems, a major defense contractor in South Korea, was selected for a military pilot project to test a smart personal surveillance system that allows users to share battlefield situations in real-time through video by using smartphones instead of radio communication. It maximizes portability and convenience as video information can be exchanged anytime, anywhere. Hanwha Systems said that a personal helmet is equipped with an intelligent image sensor for day and ni 2020-12-04
• 
  S. Korean military introduces three types of attack drones for a pilot operation SEOUL -- South Korea's arms procurement agency signed contracts with LIG Nex1 and two other drone makers to introduce three types of attack drones for a pilot operation at military units within six months. Drones and unmanned aerial vehicles are widely used on battlefields and for reconnaissance because of their versatility and costs. South Korea has launched a military project to spend some 2.7 trillion won ($2.45 billion) on deploying reconnaissance drones, communication r 2020-12-02
• 
  Rolls-Royce's gas turbine selected for third batch of S. Korean frigates SEOUL -- A new MT30 gas turbine designed by Rolls-Royce Holdings has been selected for the third batch of frigates to be built under South Korea's three-stage FFX warship program, demonstrating the technical superiority of the British engineering company which already has introduced a hybrid propulsion system for Daegu-class frigates. The FFX program calls for the construction of six 2,300-ton Incheon-class ships for the first batch, eight Daegu-class ships for the second batc 2020-12-02
• 
  Hyundai Rotem selected to provide military unmanned vehicles SEOUL -- Hyundai Rotem, a subsidiary of South Korea's Hyundai auto group, was selected to provide multi-purpose unmanned vehicles capable of carrying supplies, searching battlefields and evacuating patients. Within six months, the company will supply two units and a support system for pilot operation. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), a state body controlled by the defense ministry, picked Hyundai Rotem's military unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) for a 2020-11-24
• 
  Hanwha Systems selected to lead development of joint tactical data link system SEOUL -- In modern warfare, superior situation awareness is crucial for rapid command decisions and precisely guided munition. The main communicational enabler is a tactical data link that transmits, relays and receives tactical data. U.S. allies use Link 16, a jam-resistant, high-speed network that allows military aircraft, ships and ground forces to exchange their tactical picture in near-real-time. South Korea is pushing for the development of a joint tactical data link system 2020-11-18
• 
  Hanwha Systems selected for military project to develop AI staff officer SEOUL -- Hanwha System, a key defense contractor in South Korea, was selected to develop an artificial intelligence staff officer that would become an interactive brain trust to provide detailed analysis and aggregated assessments for decision-making by commanders. It would be the first military project to incorporate AI technology into an intelligent battlefield recognition system. The system collects various information and tactical data of the battlefield in real-time and provi 2020-11-13
• 
  [FOCUS] S. Korea under pressure to take inevitable choice against military buildup by China and Japan SEOUL -- As China and Japan accelerate the buildup of naval power to protect their own maritime sovereignty in Northeast Asia, South Korea is under pressure to take an inevitable choice with the construction of warships and submarines with excellent maneuverability despite constant checks by its long-time ally, which has been reluctant to transfer sensitive military equipment and technologies. China was the first Asian country to build a nuclear-powered and runs more than 60 nuclear 2020-11-12
• 
  LIG Nex1 unveils remote maintenance support system for warships SEOUL -- LIG Nex1, a South Korean defense contractor known for advanced missile guidance systems, has unveiled a remote maintenance support system using Internet of things (IoT) sensors and augmented reality equipment to provide an effective real-time solution for the maintenance and repair of warships. LIG Nex1 showcased its system at a trade fair in Songdo west of Seoul on November 11. The system allows trained experts from land to provide real-time support for maintenance while 2020-11-12
• 
  LIG Nex1 acquires domestic producer of communication equipment SEOUL -- LIG Nex1, a South Korean defense contractor known for advanced missile guidance systems, acquired Innowireless, a promising IT company involved in the production of communication equipment, to diversify its business portfolio into the civilian wireless communication sector. LIG Nex1 said in a regulatory filing on November 6 that it has exercised a call option to acquire a 16.55 percent stake in Innowireless for 33.1 billion won ($29.4 million). As a result, LIG Nex1 would 2020-11-06
• 
  Hanwha Defense works with KT to apply 5G technology to unmanned equipment SEOUL -- Hanwha Defense, a major defense contractor in South Korea, will use KT's 5G technologies to bolster its position in supplying military equipment such as multi-purpose unmanned ground vehicles that can carry supplies, search fields for enemies and launch strikes. Hanwha has already developed a four-wheeled unmanned electric vehicle equipped with a K3 light machine-gun. Under a memorandum of understanding with KT, a leading telecom company, Hanwha Defense will apply 5 2020-10-30
• 
  Differences over type of combat jets for S. Korea's first aircraft carrier SEOUL -- Differences have been expressed over the type of vertical landing combat jets after South Korea's defense ministry embarked on the development of core technologies for a light aircraft carrier carrying 430 crew members. Military officials favor F-35B, the short take-off and vertical landing variant of Lockheed Martin's F-35A stealth fighters. A defense buildup program unveiled in August included the development of a 30,000-ton light aircraft carrier. The defense m 2020-10-28
• 
  S. Korean navy takes delivery of first ship for cadet training SEOUL -- South Korea's navy took delivery of its first training ship mounted with an advanced education and training system that allows cadets to master simulated combat aboard various vessels including destroyers and frigates. The 4,500-ton ship, Hansando, can accommodate 120 sailors and 300 cadets. The 42-meter-long training ship, built by Hyundai Heavy Industries in November 2018, is installed with lecture rooms, operating rooms, medical rooms and sickbeds, according to t 2020-10-21
• 
  Navy chief proposes launch of S. Korea's first light aircraft carrier in 2033 SEOUL -- There is not enough national consensus yet over a costly project to build light aircraft carriers capable of supporting vertical landing combat jets, but South Korea's navy chief unveiled a more specific blueprint for the launch of the first one carrying 430 crew members in 2033 to join an arms race in Northeast Asia to retain carrier task groups. A defense buildup program unveiled by the defense ministry in August included the development of a 30,000-ton light aircra 2020-10-16
• 
  Lawmaker demands probe into 1.8 mln depleted uranium shells stored by U.S. troops in S. Korea SEOUL -- A ruling party lawmaker called for an investigation into some 1.8 million rounds of depleted uranium ammunition stored by U.S. troops at two military airbases in South Korea, warning that a potential explosion could cause devastating damage to nearby residential areas. Depleted uranium has a lower content of the fissile isotope U-235 than natural uranium. The use of depleted uranium in munitions is controversial because of concerns about potential long-term health effects. 2020-10-15