[Yang Nak-gyu's Defense Club] Hanwha Defense Challenges US Armored Vehicle Upgrade Project

[Asia Economy Reporter Yang Nak-gyu] Hanwha Defense plans to participate in the U.S. Army’s armored vehicle replacement project this year. In October 2018, the U.S. announced a full replacement of approximately 2,600 Bradley M2 and M3 armored vehicles, which are the main armored vehicles currently used by the U.S. military. Hanwha Techwin plans to submit a Request for Proposal (RFP) within this year.

The Bradley armored vehicle, the main armored vehicle used by the U.S. military, is designed to participate in combat without disembarking troops. It is equipped with a turret mounted with a 25mm autocannon, and a 7.62mm machine gun is attached as a secondary weapon on this turret. Next to the turret, there is also a 'TOW' anti-tank missile launcher with a range of 3.75 km, enabling it to engage enemy tanks. Developed in response to the Soviet BMP1, many Western countries have recognized its effectiveness and developed or introduced similar equipment. South Korea’s next-generation armored vehicle, the 'K21,' is also an infantry fighting vehicle similar to the Bradley armored vehicle.

In 2018, the U.S. established the concept of the Next Generation Combat Vehicle (NGCV) to upgrade the performance of the Bradley armored vehicle. This was featured in the British Jane's Defence Weekly and the July issue of Jane's International Defence Review.

According to the articles published at that time, the U.S. Army increased the weight of the M2A3 Bradley armored vehicle from the current 30 tons to 32 tons and raised the maximum speed from 56 km/h to 61 km/h. However, the operational range was reduced from 483 km to 400 km. This adjustment was made with urban warfare in mind rather than desert or mountainous terrain, based on the judgment that long-distance movement would not be necessary. The armament includes one 25mm M242 cannon, two TOW ATGWs, one 7.62mm M240C machine gun, and eight smoke grenade launchers.

Hanwha Defense already has a contract to deliver three prototype REDBACK armored vehicles worth 40.5 billion KRW to the Australian government, so it is confident it will not fall behind its competitor, Germany’s Rheinmetall Defense. Hanwha Defense’s REDBACK is undergoing a one-year test evaluation, with final results expected in 2021.

The REDBACK armored vehicle, named after the world’s most venomous spider native to Australia, is an armored vehicle that enhances protection and firepower based on the proven K21 infantry fighting vehicle development technology and the powerpack solution of the K9 self-propelled howitzer, both already verified by the Republic of Korea Armed Forces.

If Hanwha Defense participates in the U.S. Bradley armored vehicle upgrade project, it is expected to significantly contribute to defense exports.

Hanwha Defense did not secure any new export contracts for its flagship product, the K-9 self-propelled howitzer, last year. Although preparations were made to secure orders until the end of the year from places like the UAE (United Arab Emirates), no results were achieved. Since exporting about 600 units of the K-9 self-propelled howitzer starting with Turkey in 2001, followed by Poland, Finland, India, Norway, and Estonia, industry expectations have been high. Hanwha Defense’s Biho Complex was the only system to pass performance tests in India’s 3 trillion KRW short-range air defense missile procurement project in October 2018. The company is currently awaiting the announcement of the preferred negotiation partner selection.