[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter]A robot that detects and removes mines and explosives will be supplied to the military.
On the 24th, Hanwha Defense announced that it signed a contract worth approximately 18 billion KRW with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) for the development of an explosive detection and removal robot system.
The explosive detection and removal robot is a future-oriented defense robot that detects and removes mines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) on behalf of troops during wartime and peacetime. Until now, the military has performed missions to detect and remove explosives or detect mines using portable mine detectors or imported explosive detection robots, but portable mine detectors posed risks of casualties, and imported robots were expensive.
In response, DAPA explained that Hanwha Defense secured the technology by conducting exploratory development from 2017 to last year for two years and started system development this year.
Han
wha Defense’s developed explosive detection and removal robot is an integrated compact robot capable of detecting and removing IEDs as well as detecting mines.
Depending on the mission, various equipment such as mine detectors, X-ray imaging devices, water cannons and shotguns, and cable cutters can be attached to the manipulator arm, enabling it to perform tasks such as reconnaissance in dangerous areas, clearing paths in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), and searching underground facilities.
The soldier can control it remotely with a portable remote control device from outside the danger zone, and the manipulator arm, which can extend in all directions, can remove explosives installed on building ceilings.
Won Ho-jun, head of the unmanned business division at DAPA, said, "By developing the country’s first explosive detection and removal robot, we expect to minimize troop casualties, reduce costs, and improve the mission capabilities of engineering units."
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