South Korea Selects Hanwha's Arion-SMET for First Multi-Purpose Unmanned Vehicle Program

South Korea's military has finally chosen Hanwha Defense's Arion-SMET as its first multi-purpose unmanned ground vehicle, a move aimed at compensating for a declining number of troops. This decision marks a significant step forward after the project was stalled for over a year due to disagreements among competing bidders regarding the evaluation process.

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced the selection on March 16th, following a review by its planning and management committee. DAPA stated that the decision was based on a comprehensive assessment of the proposals, test results, and negotiations, emphasizing that the bidding process was conducted fairly and legally.

The multi-purpose unmanned vehicle is a crucial component of the Army's future combat system, 'Army TIGER 4.0'. It is designed to perform various missions, including surveillance, reconnaissance, guarding, logistics transport, and casualty evacuation, for infantry units. Both the Army and the Marine Corps have been pushing for its adoption as a next-generation ground platform.

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The model selection evaluation was finally decided after deliberation and resolution by the Defense Acquisition Program Planning and Management Committee, comprehensively reviewing the company's proposed content, test evaluation results, and negotiation and performance confirmation results.

Initially, the project aimed for contract signing in the first half of last year. However, a dispute between Hanwha Defense and Hyundai Rotem, whose competing model was the 'HR-Sherpa', delayed the selection. The conflict arose from differing views on how to evaluate the vehicles' performance, with DAPA advocating for a comprehensive review of proposed and tested capabilities, while Hyundai Rotem insisted on assessments based on maximum real-world performance.

The selected Arion-SMET boasts a payload capacity of approximately 450 kg and is equipped with day and night surveillance equipment for identification. Hanwha Defense claims it performed flawlessly during all test evaluations, proving its reliability. While the initial contract is valued at around 49.6 billion won (approximately $36 million), its significance is substantial, paving the way for future projects potentially worth hundreds of billions of won and enhancing export prospects.

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The bidding process was conducted fairly and legally in accordance with relevant laws and procedures.