Hyundai Rotem is focusing on strengthening the competitiveness of existing ground weapon systems such as armored vehicle lineups including tanks and wheel-type armored vehicles, and introducing products optimized for building MUM-T, which has emerged as a global trend through research and development of advanced technologies based on the fourth industrial revolution such as unmanned vehicles, automation, and electrification. Through this business capability, we are laying the groundwork for continuous growth in the global market.
Hyundai Rotem's main unmanned system product is the HR-SHERPA, a multi-purpose unmanned vehicle. HR-Sherpa is an electrified unmanned platform developed by Hyundai Rotem and can be operated with various equipment depending on tasks such as search, reconnaissance, distribution, and firepower support. It has various unmanned operation functions such as dependent driving that follows the person in front, remote driving, and autonomous driving at route points. It was delivered to the military as the first military unmanned vehicle in Korea after successfully piloting field areas such as GOP (general forward guard posts) and DMZ (unarmed areas).
HR-Sherpa is also increasing its competitiveness by improving performance. In addition to improving mobility, performance is developing by implementing more precise autonomous driving by strengthening sensors. HR-Sherpa includes not only cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), autonomous driving, unmanned driving, and electricity, but also the vehicle's own solid foundation technologies such as durability, safety, and design.
Last year, the latest fourth-generation HR-Sherpa was unveiled. Since Hyundai Rotem first proposed a multi-purpose unmanned vehicle development project with next-generation unmanned equipment to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, it has won a single order for a multi-purpose unmanned vehicle acquisition project in 2020. In addition, it was the only one that went through optimization through actual feedback from the Korean military and improved the completeness of HR-Sherpa. HR-Sherpa, which has evolved from first to fourth generations and has strengthened performance, is expected to contribute to strengthening security.
Based on HR-Sherpa, Hyundai Rotem plans to advance its technology in the unmanned system field through continuous research and development to respond to global market demand and preemptively to expand future markets in related fields.
In addition, Hyundai Rotem is also strengthening its existing flagship product portfolio, such as tanks and armored vehicles, to target the global market in the future. In particular, wheeled armored vehicles won the Peruvian Army supply project last year, achieving the first export of the Korean military's model wheeled armored vehicle K808, and are striving to tap into related markets by adding a new model 30-ton wheeled armored vehicle to the product lineup.
The 30-ton wheeled armored vehicle is a model that Hyundai Rotem is developing on its own, focusing on enhancing protection in line with the global trend that values survival from external attacks and expandability to load various mission equipment. It can be equipped with various weapons such as Jung-gu Gyeong and Large-caliber turrets, and is equipped with high-performance water propulsion propellers to operate water.
In addition, the 30-ton wheeled armored vehicle has various functions to improve its viability, such as a positive pressure device for fire protection and automatic indoor and tire extinguishing devices, along with enhancing overall protection to withstand bullets and anti-tank landmines. It has even secured excellent mobility that can run more than 100km/h.
A number of convenience devices are also installed to enhance operational convenience. It is equipped with front and rear observation cameras and around-view functions to operate the vehicle more conveniently when performing duties, and has various remote operation functions such as remote start and remote rear door opening and closing functions.
K2 tanks are also targeting the global market through models optimized for consumers in line with the expansion of the market. Based on the scalability of the K2 tank developed digitally, it is expected that it will be able to respond flexibly to requirements such as strengthening performance.
Hyundai Rotem is striving to tap the market by participating in domestic and international exhibitions, including the introduction of the Middle East-type K2 tank at IDEX 2025, the largest defense exhibition in the Middle East, held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in February this year. The Middle East K2 tank has enhanced engine cooling performance so that it can be operated even in high-temperature environments and has local customized specifications such as installing active destruction devices.
Based on its top performance, the K2 tank exported its technology to Turkiye in 2008 and secured global competitiveness by signing a general contract related to the export of finished tank products to Poland in 2022.
K2 tanks operate domestically and are strengthening the foundation for targeting the global market based on their proven performance. Hyundai Rotem has created a related industrial ecosystem with its partners for the stable mass production and electrification of K2 tanks, and is striving to target related markets based on its successful mass production and electrification results.
"We are responding preemptively to the future market by reading the trends required in the market and continuing to strengthen our technology and product competitiveness," a Hyundai Rotem official said. "We will steadily enhance our R&D capabilities to increase global competitiveness based on various portfolios ranging from our existing flagship K2 tank to advanced unmanned systems such as HR-Sherpa."
[Reporter Woo Je Yoon]
