Hanwha Defense's I-MPUGV prototype begins trials with South Korean army

Hanwha Defense announced on 8 October that its recently unveiled “Intelligent, Multi-Purpose Unmanned Ground Vehicle” (I-MPUGV) prototype has begun pilot operations with the RoKA's 5th Infantry Division. (Hanwha Defense)

South Korean company Hanwha Defense announced on 8 October that its recently unveiled “Intelligent, Multi-Purpose Unmanned Ground Vehicle” (I-MPUGV) prototype has begun pilot operations with the 5th Infantry Division of the Republic of Korea Army (RoKA).

The six-wheel, artificial-intelligence (AI)-enabled vehicle, which appears to be a more advanced and larger variant of the company's 1.5-tonne MPUGV prototype, has been undergoing trials with the RoKA since 5 October, noted the company, adding that the army will be testing the UGV's locally developed remote-controlled weapon system (RCWS) as well as the vehicle's capability to carry out remote-controlled operations and GPS-enabled autonomous driving.

The I-MPUGV prototype, which was unveiled in July, is a two-tonne-class vehicle designed to support infantry units and undertake various duties such as transporting supplies and ammunition, reconnaissance and surveillance, casualty evacuation, and close combat support.

As Janes reported, the I-MPUGV will offer increased speed and range on a single battery charge compared with the MPUGV. According to specifications provided by South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), the new vehicle will be capable of travelling at road and cross-country speeds of up to 40 km/h and 20 km/h, respectively, and will have a range of 100 km on a single charge.

It also offers a payload capacity of 500 kg, which is more than twice that of the MPUGV, which can carry up to 200 kg of stores and equipment.