Hanwha Defense to Develop Korean-Style Autonomous River Crossing Equipment... Signs Supply Contract with Defense Acquisition Program Administration

[Asia Economy Reporter Suyeon Woo] Hanwha Defense announced on the 17th that it has signed a technology cooperation production contract for Korean-type autonomous crossing equipment with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA). Autonomous crossing equipment is used to overcome river obstacles during ground unit missions, and this contract is significant as it promotes localization.

DAPA has been pushing to introduce the latest autonomous crossing equipment to replace the aging ribbon bridges (equipment to overcome river obstacles) operated by the Army. Hanwha Defense was selected as the preferred negotiator for this project in December last year, and the Defense Acquisition Program Promotion Committee gave final approval for the autonomous crossing equipment technology cooperation production plan in June.

Accordingly, Hanwha Defense received technology transfer for the M3 autonomous crossing equipment developed by Germany’s GDELS, which holds original technology in the crossing equipment field, and plans to domestically produce the Korean-type autonomous crossing equipment 'M3K' aiming for operational deployment in 2024.

M3 Self-Propelled Bridging Equipment Operating in Tropical Rainforest During Heatwave / Photo by Hanwha Defense

The M3 is autonomous crossing equipment whose operational performance has been verified through deployment in joint exercises in various countries worldwide, including Germany, the United Kingdom, Taiwan, Singapore, and Indonesia. Notably, during the NATO joint exercise held in Poland in 2016, 30 M3 amphibious vehicles operated by German and British forces constructed the world’s longest floating bridge, 350 meters long, in just 35 minutes.

The M3K produced by Hanwha Defense is designed as a lightweight 28-ton vehicle with wide tires, allowing it to enter and exit soft ground without additional recovery equipment. To reduce water resistance, it features a lightweight hull and a 4-wheel drive (4x4) structure, maximizing safety on water.

Additionally, the crew compartment is equipped with ballistic protection and chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) defense capabilities to enhance soldier survivability. Compared to existing systems, it significantly reduces the number of operators required, improving convenience and aligning with the military’s trend of personnel reduction. Furthermore, it can be utilized for civilian support such as emergency relief and transport of recovery equipment during natural disasters.

Hanwha Defense plans to apply the core technologies secured through M3 localization to the existing ribbon bridge performance improvement project, aiming to become a global leader in military bridging equipment.

Son Jae-il, CEO of Hanwha Defense, stated, "We will successfully produce the Korean-type autonomous crossing equipment M3K by combining over 30 years of accumulated experience and know-how in developing and producing amphibious combat vehicles. We will do our best to localize key foreign equipment technologies to strengthen the domestic defense industry capabilities while contributing to the military’s power enhancement and realization of autonomous national defense."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.