South Korean Special Forces Equipped with Warrior Platform - June, 2019

Members of the Republic of Korea Army Special Warfare Command showcase their equipment and training to the press prior to their deployment to South Sudan as part of UNMISS.

These soldiers are part of the Overseas Deployment Group (국제평화지원단), a unit specialized in overseas deployment which primarily revolves around United Nations-mandated Peacekeeping Missions.

Photo Credits: News1, Yonhap News, Defense Media Agency, and Platoon Magazine

South Korea completes development of Wheeled Anti-Aircraft Gun

Video Credit: 뉴스바바

Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced today that development of wheeled anti-aircraft gun has been successfully completed.

The project involved Hanwha Defense and 200 other small firms. Dubbed the Anti-Aircraft Gun Wheeled Vehicle System (AAGW) by its manufacturer, this system began development in June, 2015 with budget of 55 billion won (approximately $46.6 million) as replacement for aging Vulcan Air Defense System (VADS).

AAGW consists of modified Hanwha Defense K30 Biho turret and Hyundai Rotem K808 chassis. Search radar from the original K30 Biho has been removed. Instead, it maintains wired and wireless datalink with TPS-880K Local Air Defense Radar (LADR) and Air Defense Command & Control Alert (ADC2A) Network. The use of existing proven technology and platform significantly reduced development time and cost as well.

AAGW is equipped with an Electro Optical Targeting System (EOTS), which has 7 km detection range and 3 km engagement range (1.6x greater than that of VADS), and back up manual targeting sight. The original Biho's license-produced Raytheon EOTS was replaced in favor of the new Hanwha Systems EOTS, which has a built-in IRST feature and 1/3 the size of the preceding model.

More importantly, the number of required personnel for air-defense operation was reduced from 48 to 18 per company and the system boats 95% localization rate. This is crucial as the Republic of Korea Army will have much fewer personnel in the near future. Also, being a mobile platform ensures greater survivability and mobility over existing towed AA guns. Lastly, the AAGW is much cheaper than the tracked K30 Biho, and the Army currently plans to acquire approximately 270 systems.

The AAGW will further enhance the Republic of Korea Army's low-altitude-air-defense capability against low-flying aircraft and drones. 

Hanwha Defense AAGW (차륜형대공포)

Photo Credits: DAPA

LIG Nex1 TPS-880K Local Air Defense Radar will provide targeting information to AAGW via the Air Defense Command & Control Network (ADC2A). Three AAGWs and one motorized 'Chiron' MANPADS launcher will form one battery.

Photo Credit: Rodd Cameron Pacion

 Air Defense Command & Control Network (ADC2A)

Photo Credit: Defense Times Korea

AAGW combines modified turret of a K30 Biho with K808 chassis.

Photo Credit: Hanwha Defense

Hanwha Systems developed this Electro Optical Targeting System (EOTS) for the AAGW.

Back-up manual targeting sight.

Photo Credits: Hanwha Systems