Eurosatory is one of the largest defense industry exhibitions in Europe, featuring over 2,100 companies from 70 countries this year. This marks Hyundai Wia's first participation in the event.
At the exhibition, Hyundai Wia unveiled a vehicle-mounted firepower system, notably the "lightweight 105mm self-propelled howitzer," which is mounted on a small tactical vehicle. This weapon reduces weight by more than half compared to the wheeled self-propelled howitzers currently used by the South Korean military, enhancing mobility with a maximum range of 18 kilometers.
The system is designed to operate with a command vehicle and an ammunition transport vehicle, allowing for rapid firing commands and ammunition supply in battlefield conditions. It can also be deployed in hard-to-reach areas using helicopter transport. Hyundai Wia developed this product through a rapid prototyping project with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration to expedite weapon system deployment.
Additionally, Hyundai Wia showcased its future weapon system, the Remote Controlled Weapon Station (RCWS). The RCWS allows operators to monitor battlefield conditions via an indoor screen and fire remotely. The company displayed a small RCWS equipped with a widely used 7.62mm machine gun, providing visitors the opportunity to operate and experience the aiming process. All RCWS units are equipped with AI-based automatic tracking algorithms for precise target detection and quick identification.
Hyundai Wia also exhibited mock-ups of the 120mm gun used in the K2 tank and the 155mm caliber gun mounted on the K9 self-propelled howitzer. As the only domestic manufacturer of large-caliber artillery, the company aims to leverage its experience and precision machining technology to penetrate the European market.
In addition, the company introduced its "2-speed ATC" mobility component, which efficiently distributes driving power in off-road environments to provide optimal driving performance. This component is currently applied to the Kia pickup truck Tasman, used as a military command vehicle.
Hyundai Wia plans to use this exhibition as a platform to expand its export of artillery systems in the European market, particularly focusing on opportunities in Poland and Romania, where new weapon system acquisitions are actively taking place.
A Hyundai Wia official stated, "We will showcase our defense technology accumulated through the production of large-caliber artillery, such as the K2 tank and K9 self-propelled howitzer, to actively pursue contracts in overseas markets."
In the first quarter of this year, Hyundai Wia reported sales of 2.1793 trillion won and an operating profit of 51.6 billion won, marking increases of 5.7% and 6.2%, respectively, compared to the same period last year. The defense and other sectors, including defense industry and mobility solutions, generated sales of 185.4 billion won, a 15.4% increase year-on-year, with operating profit rising by 47.8% to 20.1 billion won.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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