South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) has awarded contract worth ₩700 billion (US$542 million) with local defence and engineering prime Hyundai Rotem for the serial manufacture of a second tranche of 8×8 command post vehicles (CPVs).
DAPA, which is run by the Ministry of National Defense (MND), indicated in a 21 June statement that the second batch of CPVs will incorporate enhancements derived from analysis of the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War. The ultimate objective, it said, is to deliver an improved version of the CPV to the Republic of Korea Army (RoKA).
“During this second mass production, we plan to secure a highly reliable weapon system by applying the latest technology…such as operator safety and convenience as well as interconnectivity with other weapon systems,” said DAPA, noting the CPV will be initially used by the RoKA’s new Army Tiger Demonstration Brigade (ATDB) to support army experimentation in battlefield artificial intelligence (AI), manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T), as well as other emerging operational concepts.
It added that the CPV is intended to replace the RoKA’s current static tent-type field command posts that require a lengthy set-up and teardown process, and are vulnerable to firearm, artillery, and chemical, biological, and radiological attacks.
According to DAPA, the CPV is equipped with indigenously developed command-and-control (C2) systems such as the Army Tactical Command and Control Information System (ATCCIS) and the Battalion Battle Command System (B2CS).
The vehicle is operated by a two-person crew with accommodation for up to eight additional personnel in the protected rear cabin, which is equipped with a positive pressure system to protect its occupants against nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) agents.
The CPV is derived from the in-service K808 ‘Baekho’ 8×8 wheel armoured vehicle (WAV) platform also built by Hyundai Rotem.
The first tranche of CPVs was ordered under an earlier ₩55.3 billion contract in June 2022.
by Jr Ng
