[Yang Nak-gyu's Defence Club] Ammunition and Rifles That Penetrate Bulletproof Vests to Be Developed

[Asia Economy Reporter Yang Nak-gyu] Domestic defense companies have started developing rifles and ammunition capable of penetrating bulletproof vests. S&T Motive has partnered with Poongsan, the largest ammunition manufacturer in Korea, to develop a Korean-style next-generation 6.8mm rifle and ammunition.

On the 10th, according to the companies, a kick-off meeting was held at S&T Motive's Busan headquarters to develop the Korean-style next-generation 6.8mm rifle and ammunition.

The next-generation 6.8mm rifle will have an effective range of over 500 meters, and compared to the existing 5.56mm ammunition, it will offer improved ballistic stability, resulting in greater accuracy and destructive power. The unit "mm" used for rifle ammunition refers to the diameter of the barrel hole and the bullet. This means that a larger bullet than existing rifles is being developed. The development was planned due to the improved performance of bulletproof vests, which necessitates firearms with higher penetration power.

The U.S. Army has been developing 6.8mm ammunition to replace the 5.56mm round since 2018. It is expected that this ammunition will be able to penetrate not only current bulletproof vests but also future advanced bulletproof vests. The 7.62mm ammunition is considered inefficient due to its large mass and insufficient propellant. The U.S. Army is also developing rifles to replace the ammunition. This includes the Next Generation Squad Weapon (NGSW) to replace the infantry M4A1 carbine and the Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle (NGSAR) to replace the M249. The new rounds fired from these next-generation weapons are expected to penetrate advanced bulletproof vests even at a distance of 600 meters.

An official from S&T Motive's Special Sales Team stated, "The development of the Korean-style next-generation 6.8mm rifle and ammunition aims to be completed within two years," adding, "This is the first step toward securing the next-generation rifle business by S&T Motive, which holds the only small-caliber firearm system in Korea, and Poongsan, the only domestic developer and manufacturer of small-caliber ammunition."

Meanwhile, at this meeting, defense business directors and development personnel from both S&T Motive and Poongsan attended to strengthen collaboration for the development of the Korean-style next-generation 6.8mm rifle and ammunition, and to actively carry out domestic and international sales and promotional activities. The two companies also signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) last November for the development of the next-generation 6.8mm rifle and ammunition.