Test and Evaluation but no Immediate Procurement Plans
Hanwha Defense’s Redback IFV will soon undergo trials with a Republic of Korea Army (RoKA) armoured cavalry unit, after having completed test and evaluation activities last year under Australia’s Land 400 Phase 3 programme.
The company announced on 18 February that the Redback, one of the two down-selected platforms for the Australian Army programme, alongside Rheinmetall’s Lynx KF41 IFV, is to be handed over to RoKA in April for two months of trials aimed at reviewing the vehicle’s technologies and operational capabilities. The trials, to be conducted with just one vehicle, will be focused on its mobility, operability, and maintainability.
The Seoul-based firm said that, for the mobility assessment, the tracked vehicle will be tested on both paved and unpaved roads under varying conditions, including pivot, obstacle clearance, and night manoeuvring. Operability trials will include evaluation of the situational awareness cameras, load space, and the ergonomics of various seating configurations. Tactical operations of the auxiliary power unit and turret systems are also to be tested. To review operational sustainability, the vehicle will be assessed in various recovery situations.
During the trials, the Redback is also expected to demonstrate its Offboard Health and Usage Management System, which monitors and diagnoses component faults in their early stages.
The RoKA currently has no plans to adopt the Redback, although the service has shown interest in the performance of and technologies used by the vehicle, especially as it requires a next-generation IFV under Project K31 for its mid- to long-term requirements.
A Hanwha Defense spokesperson told Military Technology that the decision for the RoKA trials was made by South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration as part of efforts to “assess the detailed capabilities of modern weapons systems available for overseas sales”. In this regard, the upcoming trials will help establish RoKA track records of operations with the Redback.
The RoKA currently operates about 400 K21 IFVs – also from Hanwha Defense – and is expected to acquire further quantities over the coming years.
The Australian Army’s Land 400 Phase 3 project is aimed at providing and supporting up to 450 tracked IFVs and 17 manoeuvre support vehicles.
Gabriel Dominguez in Singapore for MON
