Peru starts building Korean K808 armored personnel carriers and KLTV tactical vehicles.

Peru has opened a new assembly line at state-owned FAME S.A.C. to locally build South Korean K808 wheeled armored personnel carriers and Kia Light Tactical Vehicles. The move links earlier acquisition deals with a long-term industrial plan, aiming to reduce import dependence, secure technology transfer, and upgrade the army’s armored fleet for both internal security and external defense.

Peru has formally entered the armored vehicle manufacturing game, with President José Jerí inaugurating a new special and armored vehicle line at the Fábrica de Armas y Municiones del Ejército (FAME S.A.C.) on 13 November 2025. In remarks shared from the plant under the slogan "Produce in Peru to serve Peru", Jerí framed the first locally assembled South Korean K808 White Tiger wheeled armored personnel carriers and Kia Light Tactical Vehicles, alongside ambulances and patrol trucks, as the core of a strategy to cut external dependence, anchor skilled industrial jobs and give the army modern platforms to respond faster to disasters and security crises.
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The K808 is an 8×8 armoured personnel carrier (APC) developed by Hyundai Rotem in the 2010s for the Republic of Korea Army, with a combat weight of around 20 tonnes and a conventional layout with the engine at the front and the troop compartment to the rear (Picture source: ROK Army)

Cooperation between FAME S.A.C. and the South Korean consortium built around Hyundai Rotem and Kia Motors is structured around licensed production, local assembly of imported kits, and the gradual integration of subassemblies manufactured in Peru. For Lima, this model is presented as a way to expand the defence industrial and technological base (BITD) rather than rely on the purchase of finished vehicles off the shelf. At this initial stage, the effort concentrates on building an assembly and maintenance ecosystem able to support the fleet of armoured personnel carriers (APC) over several decades, from hull repair and powerpack overhaul through to integration of communications equipment, battle management systems, and mission kits for police and internal security forces.

The opening of the plant takes place in a land forces environment still marked by Cold War era inventories. The Peruvian Army remains heavily reliant on ageing T-55 and AMX-13 tanks and on tracked and wheeled transports such as the M113 and UR-416, many of which are reaching the economic limit of deep modernisation. Previous procurement cycles have struggled to deliver coherent vehicle families with shared drivetrains and common digital architectures. The selection of a South Korean wheeled solution centred on the K808 reflects a decision to standardise future mobility while keeping investment at a level compatible with a constrained defence budget.

The K808 is an 8×8 armoured personnel carrier (APC) developed by Hyundai Rotem in the 2010s for the Republic of Korea Army, with a combat weight of around 20 tonnes and a conventional layout with the engine at the front and the troop compartment to the rear. A turbocharged Hyundai diesel engine of about 420 horsepower, coupled to a seven-speed automatic transmission, enables road speeds close to 100 km/h and an operating range of roughly 700 to 800 km depending on mission profile. The independent hydropneumatic suspension, combined with a central tyre inflation system, supports off road mobility, while amphibious propulsion via twin water jets gives the vehicle a speed of around 8 km/h in rivers and coastal waters, which is relevant for operations along Peru’s riverine and littoral corridors.

Protection and armament on the K808 are configured for infantry transport and internal security missions rather than direct engagement with tanks. The frontal arc of the hull is designed to withstand armour-piercing 12.7 mm rounds and, on some versions, 14.5 mm fire, while the sides are dimensioned against 7.62 mm threats, with options for add-on armour kits and a reinforced floor against mines. The standard fit can include an open turret with a 12.7 mm heavy machine gun, a 7.62 mm machine gun, or a 40 mm automatic grenade launcher; export variants are prepared for installation of a remote-controlled weapon station or a light 30 mm cannon if a customer moves towards a fire support configuration. The interior offers seating for nine or ten fully equipped soldiers in addition to a crew of two, with an electrically operated rear ramp and roof hatches that facilitate both dismount drills and emergency exit in confined terrain or urban ambush situations.

At the lighter end of the spectrum, the Kia Light Tactical Vehicle (KLTV) is a 4×4 armoured vehicle intended to replace legacy KM420 and KM450 utility trucks in South Korean service. In its armoured version, the KLTV uses composite ballistic panels to reach protection levels broadly comparable to NATO Standardization Agreement (STANAG) 4569 Level 2 to 3, including blast attenuating seats and a reinforced floor against mines and improvised explosive devices. A 3.0 litre diesel V6 delivering about 225 horsepower, driving all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic gearbox, gives the vehicle a maximum road speed of around 130 km/h and a range exceeding 560 km depending on variant and payload. The basic armoured troop carrier layout carries a driver and up to seven soldiers under armour, with a roof ring mount or remote weapon station for 7.62 mm or 12.7 mm machine guns or 40 mm automatic grenade launchers.

The industrial partners present both platforms as ready for digital integration. Radios and command systems fitted on the K808 and KLTV are intended to connect to modern command and control (C2) networks based on Internet protocol architectures and encrypted VHF/UHF links. Once properly integrated, they can feed location data, basic sensor information, and blue force tracking into a common operational picture (COP) at battalion or brigade level, which reduces the risk of fratricide and improves coordination with artillery, aviation, and special forces. The actual impact of this digitalisation in Peru will depend on the communications backbone selected by the Ministry of Defence and the level of investment in training and procedures, elements that will require confirmation in upcoming acquisition and doctrine documents.

The K808 and KLTV plant represents the first structured presence of South Korean wheeled armoured vehicles on the Latin American market, rather than a single sale. Seoul is gradually positioning its defence industry as an alternative supplier for middle-income states seeking modern equipment with flexible financing and industrial participation; Peru thus joins a group of partners that already includes Poland, the Philippines and several African countries for Korean land systems. For Latin America, this installation increases competition with European, US, Chinese, and Turkish manufacturers in future tenders and may encourage other governments to demand similar assembly or co-production schemes. For Peru, if cooperation with Hyundai Rotem and Kia adheres to delivery timetables and provides a stable flow of spare parts, the programme could reshape its armoured forces, improve interoperability with extra-regional partners, and embed a modest but credible local industry in the security architecture of the South Pacific and Andean region.