New wheeled armored vehicles K806 K808 for South Korean army.

According a news of December 8, 2017,from the South Korean Yonhap News Agency website, the Defense Department of the South Korean Company Hyundai Rotem has won a contract of US$357 million to deliver latest generation of wheeled armoured vehicles K806 and K808 also called WAV (Wheeled Armoured Vehicle) to the South Korean army.

New Hyundai Rotem K808 8x8 armoured vehicle in live demonstration at Defense Exhibition in South Korea (Picture source Youtube)

In June 2016, the South Korean has announced a plan to acquire 600 new wheeled armoured vehicles K806 and K808 from 2016 until 2020. The new wheeled armoured vehicle project was aimed at improving the mobility, survivability and hitting power of front line and rear echelon infantry troops as their mission areas have expanded the military's reorganization plan, the agency noted.

The K808, an 8x8 wheeled armoured has been designed to offer a rapid deployment combat vehicle for infantry units able to perform reconnaissance missions in front line areas, including mountainous regions, while the K806, a 6x6 wheeled armoured is intended for use in mobile strike and reconnaissance missions in the rear.

The mass production of the K806 and K808 will started in 2018, with a rate of 100 vehicles per year. According the South Korean DAPA (Defense Acquisition Program Administration), the army has requested 100 K806 and 500 K808 armoured vehicles. Although the two vehicle share many technical characteristics, but they will be used for different of missions.

The K806 with a 16,000 kg weight will perform facilities and logistics convoy protection, while the 20, 000 kg K808 will conduct high-intensity combat operations alongside K1A1 and K2 main battle tanks.

New Hyundai Rotem K806 6x6 armoured vehicle in live demonstration at Defense Exhibition in South Korea (Picture source Youtube)

The development of the K806 and K808 was started in 2012 and in 2016 both vehicles successfully passed final trial tests and were approved by the DAPA for procurement.

The hull of the K806 and K806 is made on an all-welded steel armour providing ballistic protection against firing of 12.7mm caliber heavy machine gun. The vehicle can be fitted with additional armour depending of the mission requirements.

The K806 is a family of 6x6 wheeled armoured vehicles which can be configured as Armoured Combat Vehicle (ACV) with 30mm two-man turret, Medical Evacuation Vehicle (MEV), and Mobile Gun System (MGS)with 90mm cannon.

The K808 is also available in different variants as Armoured Combat Vehicle (ACV) fitted with a two-man turret with one 30mm cannon as main armament, Anti-Aircraft Gun Vehicle (AAGV) armed with dual gun 30mm caliber, and Mortar Carrier Vehicle (MCV) with 120mm mortar mounted inside at the rear of the hull.