[Yang Nakgyu's Defence video] The unmanned vehicle leading on National Armed Forces Day is

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] On the 25th, at the Special Warfare Command located in Icheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, an advanced unmanned vehicle attracted attention during the '72nd Armed Forces Day Commemoration Ceremony.' This unmanned vehicle is the multipurpose unmanned vehicle 'HR-Sherpa' developed by Hyundai Rotem, called Sherpa. At the event, two Sherpas led the procession, performing security and escort duties while moving around the venue. Following them was a wheeled armored vehicle also manufactured by Hyundai Rotem. The Sherpa previously demonstrated autonomous driving-based security and escort missions alongside the security safety control team at the '2019 Korea-ASEAN Special Summit' held in November last year.

According to Hyundai Rotem, the Sherpa is smaller than a compact car and features a 6-wheel electric drive system. It boasts excellent mobility with a 360-degree on-the-spot rotation function and uses airless tires, which are advantageous for rough terrain driving, eliminating the risk of punctures and offering superior durability. On a single charge, it can run at a maximum speed of 30 km/h for about 6 hours. Additionally, it is equipped with a Remote Controlled Weapon Station (RCWS) produced by Hyundai Wia, enabling long-distance detection and reconnaissance. It can perform various missions depending on the purpose, including transporting supplies and patients, fire support, and hazardous material detection. Remote driving is also a key feature, with capabilities such as dependent driving that automatically follows personnel in front of the vehicle and autonomous driving that independently explores and patrols designated routes.

The wheeled armored vehicle demonstrated alongside the Sherpa at the Armed Forces Day event is a vehicle that Hyundai Rotem has been supplying to the military since winning the initial mass production order in early 2016 and the second batch in 2017, with sequential operational deployment currently underway. Hyundai Rotem also secured the system development project for the wheeled command post vehicle, a variant of the wheeled armored vehicle, in 2016, and plans to pursue mass production orders once system development is completed this year.