South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced on 25 January that Hyundai Rotem has completed development of a command post variant of its K808 wheeled armoured combat vehicle for the Republic of Korea Army (RoKA).
South Korea’s DAPA announced on 25 January that development of a command post variant of the Hyundai Rotem K808 wheeled armoured combat vehicle has been completed. (DAPA)
The agency said in a statement that the new vehicle, development of which began in 2017, is aimed at replacing “tent-type field command posts that take too long to install and dismantle, and cannot protect against enemy firearms, artillery, and chemical threats”.
The new K808 variant, which is operated by a two-person crew with accommodation for up to eight additional personnel, is equipped with a positive pressure system to protect against nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) agents, and fitted with a protected weapon station.
DAPA said that 98% of components of this variant have been sourced locally, adding that a contract to begin mass production of the new armoured vehicle is expected to be signed in 2022.
No details were provided about how many of these vehicles are expected to be ordered by the RoKA.
The standard K808, which alongside the K806 has been in mass production since 2017, is powered by a 420 hp Hyundai Motor Company diesel engine that provides a maximum road speed of 100 km/h via a seven-speed automatic transmission.
The standard K808 features STANAG Level 4 protection on the frontal arc and Level 3–4 protection on its flanks with NBC capability. It is fully amphibious, with a pair of rear-mounted waterjets that enable it to swim at speeds of up to 8 km/h.
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