[Changwon = E-Daily Reporter kim kwanyong ] On the 14th, I visited Hanwha Aerospace’s Changwon Plant No. 2 in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province. The site covers approximately 60,000 pyeong, equivalent to about 30 soccer fields. Opened in 1984, this facility was where the K200—the South Korean military’s first domestically produced armored vehicle—was manufactured. Equipment that has spearheaded the generational transition of the South Korean military’s ground forces—including the K21, the Army’s main infantry fighting vehicle (IFV); the new chemical, biological, and radiological reconnaissance vehicle; the 120mm self-propelled mortar; and systems such as Cheonma, Bihho Composite, and Cheonho—has all passed through this facility.

At the plant, workers were busy welding structural components such as hulls and turrets, performing precision machining, and assembling vehicles to integrate various pieces of equipment and systems into a single unit. After undergoing system tests—including fire control tests and integrated interoperability tests—a single weapons system is completed. Unlike an automobile factory that mass-produces identical products, this facility operates on a high-mix, low-volume production model, manufacturing a variety of weapons systems.

◇From the K200 Production Line to the Military’s First UGV

The role of the Changwon Plant 2 is no longer limited to the production of conventional armored vehicles and missile launchers. The “transition to unmanned systems” for the South Korean military’s ground forces also begins here. The symbol of this transition is the multipurpose unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) “Arion-SMET.” On the 4th, Hanwha Aerospace signed a mass production contract for the Arion-SMET with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration. As the first multipurpose unmanned ground vehicle to be adopted by the South Korean military, it will be supplied sequentially to Army and Marine Corps infantry units starting next year.

The development of the Arion-SMET took a considerable amount of time. Hanwha Aerospace developed the first-generation Arion-SMET as a civil-military cooperation project in 2016, thereby solidifying the concept of a multipurpose unmanned ground vehicle. In late 2023, the company conducted a U.S. Foreign Comparative Testing (FCT) with the second-generation model. The vehicle selected by the South Korean military is the third-generation model, which incorporates the operational experience and feedback gained from these tests.

A notable feature is the Remote Controlled Weapon Station (RCWS). It is compatible with two types of calibers—5.56 mm and 7.62 mm—and can operate four types of firearms, including the K3 and K16. It will also be possible to expand the range of armaments in the future based on the military’s operational concepts and requirements. The RCWS also incorporates acoustic detection technology. This system uses multiple microphones installed on the vehicle to detect the direction and location of gunfire and analyze the collected acoustic data. However, the final decision to fire rests with the operator, not AI. This design ensures that while the unmanned system’s detection and judgment capabilities are utilized, the final decision to use force remains in human hands.

Another strength of the Arionsmet is its mobility. It features a 2-metric-ton-class chassis capable of carrying over 450 kg and is equipped with a 6-wheel-drive electric propulsion system. It can travel at speeds of over 40 km/h on paved roads and over 30 km/h off-road. Another key feature is its “airless tires.” These are designed to allow the vehicle to continue moving for a certain distance even if the tires are damaged by bullets or other impacts. The chassis, constructed from special composite materials, also provides protection, allowing combatants to use the vehicle as cover when necessary.

Its autonomous navigation capability is another key feature. It is capable of autonomous navigation and, if communications are lost during an operation, it attempts to recover the system on its own. A “smart autonomous return” function has also been implemented, which directs the vehicle back to its original departure point if communications are not restored. If communication dead zones occur on the battlefield, drones take over. This involves using drones as aerial communication relays to maintain the communication network between the vehicles and their operators. Currently, up to two vehicles can be operated simultaneously, but the plan is to develop the system further so that multiple UGVs can be grouped into a single system to conduct swarm operations.

◇From the Birthplace of Cheonmu and Cheongung II to a Hub for Unmanned Systems Exports

The Changwon Plant 2 is already a major export production base for the Korean defense industry. Its flagship product is the “Cheonmu” multiple-launch guided weapon system. Starting with Poland, exports have expanded to other European countries such as Estonia, Norway, and Croatia, with the cumulative value of disclosed contracts alone exceeding 14 trillion won. A significant portion of the finished equipment is shipped overseas via the nearby Port of Masan.

The launchers for the Cheongung-II, exported to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, and Iraq, as well as the L-SAM launchers responsible for the upper-tier defense of the Korean Air and Missile Defense (KAMD) system, are also manufactured here.

Hanwha Aerospace plans to add unmanned systems as a new pillar to its operations. The company aims to secure six types of small, medium, and large unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) by 2030, ranging from multipurpose UGVs weighing less than 10 metric tons to medium-sized tracked robotic combat vehicles (T-RCVs) weighing less than 20 metric tons and large unmanned combat vehicles (H-UGVs) in the 30-metric-ton class.

The company also plans to secure the technology by 2029 to transform the K9 self-propelled howitzer, Cheonmu, and next-generation infantry fighting vehicles into “selective manned/unmanned systems” that can be operated either with a crew or autonomously depending on the situation. The company intends to expand the scope of application to include the 120mm self-propelled mortar, the Marine Corps Amphibious Assault Vehicle (KAAV), and engineer combat vehicles.

Kim Dong-hyun, Head of the LS Business Division at Hanwha Aerospace, stated, “By establishing a world-class production system, we will support the stable supply of unmanned vehicles required by the South Korean military and our allied nations, and we will actively pursue technological advancements to become a leading company in defense unmanned systems, proactively preparing for future battlefields.”