South Korea has completed development of a new 30 mm self-propelled anti-aircraft gun (SPAAG) system based on the chassis of the Hyundai Rotem K808 8 x 8 armoured vehicle.
South Korea’s DAPA announced on 5 June that development of a new 30 mm wheeled SPAAG system has been completed. (DAPA)
The country’s Defence Acquisition Programme Administration (DAPA) announced on 5 June that the system, development of which began in 2015, has successfully met all the requirements set by the South Korean military following final tests and evaluations.
Developed by Hanwha for the Republic of Korea Army (RoKA) under a KRW55 billion (USD46.8 million) project, the turret mounted on the vehicle is armed with a pair of stabilised and podded 30 mm cannons, and features an electro-optical/infrared system enabling automatic day/night target tracking.
The system has been designed to increase the force’s capabilities to engage aerial targets at low altitudes and to provide mobile and localised air-defence support for ground troops.
According to the DAPA, the new SPAAG is not only more accurate but its range is also 1.6 times greater than that of the 20 mm M167 Vulcan Air Defense System in service with the RoKA. According to Jane’s Land Warfare Platforms: Artillery & Air Defence , the M167 VADS has a maximum range of 2.2 km and a maximum effective vertical range of 1.2 km.
Moreover, the induction of the new 30 mm wheeled SPAAG, which can be integrated into a wider air-defence network, is expected to help reduce the number of RoKA personnel required to operate anti-aircraft systems.
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