South Korea offers AS21 Redback tracked armored IFV to replace Australian M113AS4.

According to the Defense magazine Australian Defence Business Review ADBR website, the South Korean Company Hanwha Defense Systems will offer its new generation of tracked armored IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle) AS21 Redback for the Land 400 Phase 3 program of the Australian army, to replace the old M113AS4 tracked APC (Armored Personnel Carrier) vehicles.

Drawing of the future South Korean AS21 Redback tracked armored IFV Infantry fighting Vehicle (Picture source Defence Technology Review)

The South Korean Company Hanwha Defense Systems was established in 1937 to provide comprehensive defense solutions including infantry fighting vehicles, air defense weapons, guided weapons, launching systems, high-precision navigation, and laser weapons.

The AS21 Redback will be developed based on the K21 tracked armored IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle) which is in service the South Korea Army. The project of the new vehicle will be presented during a conference at the Land Forces 2018, an international defense exhibition that will take place from the 4 to 6 September 2018, in Adelaide, Australia.

The AS21 Redback will be enhanced version of the standard K21 offering more protection against current ballistic and mine threats. It will have a larger internal volume to accommodate 8 dismount troops and a crew of three soldiers including driver, commander and gunner.

According to our first analysis, the general layout of the Korean AS 21 Redback seems very similar to the German-made KF41 that was unveiled during the International Defense Exhibition Eurosatory in June 2018, with driver position and engine compartment at the front, a two-man turret in the middle and troops area at the rear.

As the original K21 IFV, the AS21 Redback could be armed with one 40mm automatic cannon, one 7.62mm coaxial machine gun and one 12.7mm machine gun mounted on the top of the turret. The back side of the roof turret seems to be fitted with launchers for anti-tank guided missile.

A Hanwha Defense Systems spokesman said, “With such heritage, Hanwha Defense Systems is able to customize its armored solutions to a variety of specifications in order to meet future warfare requirements of any country.”

According to Hanwha Defense Systems, the vehicle will be fitted with new generation of APS (Active protection System)designed to prevent line-of-sight guided anti-tank missiles/projectiles from acquiring and/or destroying a target.