Hanwha Systems Signs 15 Billion KRW Contract for 'Personal Battlefield Visualization System' Development Project

The 'Individual Battlefield Visualization System' can acquire battlefield situations in real time through an information processing device (smartphone). (Photo by Hanwha Systems)

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] Hanwha Systems announced on the 31st that it has signed a contract for the Defense Acquisition Program Administration’s ‘Personal Battlefield Visualization System Development’ project. This is a contractor-led weapon system development project. The project scale is approximately 15 billion KRW. After development and testing from August 2021 to 2024, it is planned to be deployed to the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps.

The ‘Personal Battlefield Visualization System’ enables soldiers to share information in real-time between team members and team leaders, and between team leaders and command posts, using personal radios and information processing devices (smartphones). This is an advanced personal combat system that maximizes combat power and survivability.

In particular, while aiming directly through sights exposes soldiers to high risk from the enemy, the ‘Personal Battlefield Visualization System’ allows battlefield video to be checked on smartphones. Surveillance and strikes (indirect fire) can be conducted under concealment and cover, which is expected to significantly enhance soldier survivability.

The outcome of future warfare depends on quickly and accurately sharing vast battlefield information with soldiers and commanders to maximize operational efficiency.

Once the ‘Personal Battlefield Visualization System’ is deployed, information obtained on-site during counterterrorism and DMZ search operations can be rapidly transmitted in real-time to comrades and commanders via personal radios. Additionally, soldiers can conduct surveillance and strikes under concealment and cover without exposing their bodies to the enemy. It enables commanders to make swift decisions and responses by sharing the locations of enemy and friendly forces, situational awareness, and visualizing the battlefield.

Hanwha Systems plans to develop the ‘Personal Battlefield Visualization System’ with a common and standardized interface, applying Korea’s first ‘Open Architecture for Military Use’ to ensure interoperability and compatibility with other mission equipment in the personal combat system.

Through multi-hop communication personal radios that overcome the limitations of conventional radios, which could only transmit voice and text, still images, voice, and data can be transmitted. Information can be checked and shared anytime and anywhere via smartphones, improving portability and convenience.

A Hanwha Systems official stated, "Based on research and development experience with the Agency for Defense Development since 2007, we have continuously secured advanced future technology capabilities in essential personal combat system requirements such as command and control, survivability, mission sustainability, mobility, and lethality." He added, "Based on this, we will perfectly develop the Personal Battlefield Visualization System and lead ‘Smart Defense’ in the era of hyper-connectivity and super-intelligence."

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