Seoul: The state arms procurement agency has commenced a 47.6 billion-won (US$34.4 million) project aimed at upgrading military wheeled armored vehicles to enhance their operational capabilities, officials revealed on Thursday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) made the announcement following a meeting held the previous day with Hyundai Rotem Co., which is spearheading the research and development aspect of the project. The project is set to introduce new features to these vehicles, including a remote-controlled weapon system (RCWS), tactical multiband multirole radio (TMMR), and 360-degree surveillance cameras, with a completion target of 2029.
The upgrades will enable crews to execute precision long-range strikes day or night using a distance-firing control system, all without the necessity of opening the hatch. Additionally, the improvements will allow troops to share real-time battlefield information with other units and nearby armored vehicles through the TMMR sets.
The head of the agency's maneuver program department expressed the anticipated benefits, stating, "We anticipate the survivability of infantry units and their strike capabilities will be strengthened through the performance-improvement project."