South Korea orders second mass production of command post vehicles

The new command post variant of the K808 wheeled armoured vehicle is expected to enter the RoKA service in 2023. (DAPA)

South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) has signed a contract worth KRW700 billion (USD541 million) with Hyundai Rotem for the mass production of the second batch of an unspecified number of wheeled command post vehicles (CPVs).

DAPA said in a press release on 21 June that in the second mass production batch the agency intends to evaluate the “Ukrainian-Russian war pattern” to detect improvements in the CPVs with the goal to deploy an improved version of vehicles with the Republic of Korea Army (RoKA).

“During this second mass production, we plan to secure a highly reliable weapon system by applying the latest technology necessary for weapon system operation such as operator safety and convenience as well as interconnectivity with other weapon systems,” DAPA added.

According to DAPA, the CPV is intended to replace “tent-type field command posts that take too long to install and dismantle, and cannot protect against enemy firearms, artillery, and chemical, biological, and radiological attacks”.

The vehicle is equipped with command-and-control (C2) systems such as the Army Tactical Command and Control Information System (ATCCIS) and the Battalion Battle Command System (B2CS).

Janes earlier reported that the CPV is operated by a two-person crew with accommodation for up to eight additional personnel. It is equipped with a positive pressure system to protect against nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) agents, and is fitted with a protected weapon station.

DAPA said the project to develop the CPVs – the design for which is based on the RoKA's K808 wheeled armoured vehicle (WAV) – started in 2017 and ended in December 2020.