Hanwha Accelerates Automation of K9 and Cheonmu... Developing Six Types of Unmanned Ground Vehicles

K9 and Cheonmu to Be Automated by 2029
Six Types of Unmanned Ground Vehicles to Be Developed
Arion-SMET to Be Supplied to the Military Starting Next Year

Hanwha Aerospace is automating its existing weapon systems, such as the K9 self-propelled howitzer and multiple launch guided missile Cheonmu, and aims to develop six types of unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), ranging from small to large, by 2030.

On the 14th, at Hanwha Aerospace's Changwon Plant 2 in Changwon, Gyeongnam, advanced ground defense systems of Hanwha Aerospace, including the multipurpose unmanned vehicle "Arionsmet," are undergoing test runs. Hanwha Aerospace

On the 17th, Hanwha Aerospace unveiled a roadmap for ground defense unmanned systems, along with its plan to establish a production system for the multipurpose unmanned vehicle “Arion-SMET.”

Arion-SMET signed a mass production contract with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration on the 4th of this month and will be supplied sequentially to infantry units of the Army and Marine Corps starting next year. Production will take place at the Changwon plant, where Cheonmu, Cheongung-II, and long-range L-SAM surface-to-air missile launchers are manufactured.

The localization rate of the major components is over 98%. Hanwha Aerospace has established a mass production system with around 40 partner companies that supply structures, batteries, navigation systems, LiDAR, and remote control devices.

Starting with Arion-SMET, the company plans to secure six types of small, medium, and large UGV common platforms by 2030. The lineup will include multipurpose unmanned vehicles under 10 tons, tracked robotic combat vehicles (T-RCVs) under 20 tons, and large unmanned combat vehicles (H-UGVs) in the 30-ton class.

The company is also pursuing the selective conversion of existing manned weapon systems to optionally unmanned operation as needed. The goal is to secure the related technologies for the K9 self-propelled howitzer, Cheonmu, and next-generation infantry fighting vehicles by 2029. Manned-unmanned teaming technologies will also be applied to the 120mm self-propelled mortar, the Marine Corps amphibious assault vehicle (KAAV), and the Korea-style combat engineering vehicle (K-CEV).

Hanwha Aerospace is also seeking to export Arion-SMET overseas. According to Hanwha Aerospace, Romania, Finland, and Canada have expressed interest, and the relevant overseas market is expected to grow to several trillion won around the 2030s.

Arion-SMET was first developed in 2016 through a military-civilian cooperation project, and in late 2023 its second-generation model participated in the U.S. Foreign Comparative Testing (FCT) program. The model to be adopted by the Korean military is the third generation, featuring a payload capacity of approximately 450 kilograms, autonomous off-road driving, and artificial intelligence (AI)-based remote weapon control functions.

Kim Donghyun, Head of the LS Division at Hanwha Aerospace, said, "We will stably supply unmanned vehicles required by the Republic of Korea military and its allies, and will actively work to acquire unmanned defense system technologies to prepare for the future battlefield."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.