South Korean defence industry giant Hanwha Aerospace introduced the new generation tracked armoured combat vehicle K-NIFV (Korea New Infantry Fighting Vehicle)at the ADEX 2025 exhibition. Derived from Australia’s AS21 Redback IFV design, the K-NIFV was developed to respond to the new UAV threats posed by the war in Ukraine, reduce costs and maximise domestic industrial content.
Hanwha positions K-NIFV as a more cost-effective, sustainable and indigenous alternative to Redback, which has experienced procurement delays and cost increases due to dependence on foreign subsystems.
High Localisation Rate and Revised Design
The main development objective of the K-NIFV was to reduce import dependence and increase domestic production. For this purpose, Hanwha distributed the development of the main components to its South Korean subsidiaries:
Hanwha Systems: Turret sights and active protection system.
Hanwha Aero LS: Remote Controlled Weapon System (RCWS) and fire control systems.
SNT Dynamics: Main gun (cannon) and transmission.
Hanwha Aero PGM: New anti-tank missile (derived from the Cheongeom family).
This indigenisation approach aims to reduce the vehicle’s operating costs by reducing export control restrictions and procurement costs. Hanwha also overhauled the vehicle layout and used an unmanned turret. In this way, the K-NIFV increases its internal volume while maintaining its base body, reaching the capacity to carry 8 soldiers and additional cargo.
Main Theme: Multilayer Architecture Against UAVs
The most striking feature of the K-NIFV is its layered defence architecture against today’s biggest threat, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). This system activates different layers of defence depending on the distance of the threat:
- Long Range (3-4 km): The vehicle will use a 30 mm cannon or 40 mm telescopic body gun system to neutralise loitering munitions and kamikaze UAVs.
- Medium Range (Approx. 1 km): The K-NIFV carries a C-UAS detection radar linked to AI-powered artillery and commander’s vision systems. This radar automatically tracks enemy small air platforms. When an unmanned system approaches within about 1 km, the new “smart UKSS”, managed by radar and artificial intelligence, is designed to neutralise even very small commercial drones.
- Close Range (Approximately 300 metres): When a threat gets this close, the vehicle’s active protection system (APS) is activated. APS is designed to neutralise the threat by hard-kill (physical destruction).
Hanwha is marketing the K-NIFV as one of the few armoured fighting vehicles in the world with this multi-layered anti-drone architecture. This approach aims to set a new standard in providing force protection on the modern battlefield.
