Hyundai Wia to Join Saudi Defense Exhibition 'WDS 2026'... Accelerating Orders in the Middle East

Full-scale display of 105 mm howitzer mounted on light tactical vehicle
Showcasing AI-based RCWS and anti-drone defense lineup

Hyundai Wia announced on the 9th that it will participate in the World Defense Show (WDS) 2026, which is being held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. WDS, held from the 8th to the 12th, is the largest defense industry exhibition in the Middle East, with more than 750 companies from 45 countries taking part. This is the first time Hyundai Wia has set up an independent booth at a Saudi defense exhibition.

Hyundai Wia's exhibition booth at WDS 2026, a defense industry exhibition that opened on the 8th (local time) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Photo by Hyundai Wia

At this exhibition, Hyundai Wia unveiled a large number of wheeled firepower systems. Its flagship product, the Lightweight 105 mm Self-Propelled Howitzer, is characterized by having more than halved the weight compared to existing wheeled self-propelled howitzers, thereby enhancing mobility, and it has a maximum range of 18 km. It can be transported by helicopter, enabling rapid deployment into operations.

The Vehicle-Mounted 81 mm Mortar, a key weapon system for infantry battalions, was also displayed as a mock-up. By applying an automatic laying system, the laying time was reduced from 5 minutes to 10 seconds, and the number of operating personnel was reduced from 5 to 3, improving efficiency. It was designed so that in situations where vehicle use is restricted, it can be operated in the same way as existing mortars.

The company is also showcasing its lineup of Remote Controlled Weapon Stations (RCWS), a next-generation weapon system. It presented a full-scale small RCWS equipped with a 7.62 mm machine gun and a mock-up of a medium RCWS fitted with a 12.7 mm machine gun and a 40 mm automatic grenade launcher. All RCWS units are equipped with AI-based automatic tracking algorithms to enhance the precision of target detection and identification.

In addition, the company exhibited the Vehicle-Mounted Anti-Drone Integrated Defense System (ADS), which detects and identifies drones using radar and optical devices. Its strength lies in providing both soft-kill capabilities using radio-frequency jamming and hard-kill capabilities using RCWS. In line with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 policy, Hyundai Wia plans to expand exports of artillery systems to the Middle East region.

A Hyundai Wia official said, "It is meaningful that we have opened our first independent booth at WDS, the largest defense exhibition in the Middle East," adding, "We will step up our overseas order activities by showcasing our defense technologies in various regions, including the Middle East."

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