Hanwha Aerospace Demonstrates Integrated Combat System in Romania

Hanwha Aerospace has successfully completed a demonstration of its integrated manned and unmanned combat system in Romania.

The company announced on May 14 that it was the only South Korean firm to participate in a performance demonstration event linked to the International Defense Exhibition (BSDA 2026) held at an outdoor tactical training site near Bucharest.

The demonstration showcased the integrated operation of the Tigon wheeled armored vehicle, the GRUNT multipurpose unmanned vehicle, and Estonia's Milrem Robotics-developed THeMIS. The event particularly highlighted a future battlefield scenario where manned armored vehicles and unmanned ground vehicles work in tandem. The GRUNT and THeMIS unmanned ground vehicles were deployed in advance to conduct reconnaissance and surveillance missions in hazardous areas, while the Tigon armored vehicle was responsible for troop transport and fire support.

Subsequently, the demonstration included the use of unmanned vehicles for logistics supply and casualty evacuation. The GRUNT is a next-generation multipurpose unmanned vehicle developed based on the existing Arion-SMET. It drew attention for its hybrid drive system, a maximum payload capacity of 900 kg, autonomous follow driving, automatic recognition and tracking, and electronic warfare response capabilities.

This event is significant as it marks the first live performance demonstration of a domestically developed military unmanned vehicle in Europe, showcasing its competitiveness in the European and global multipurpose unmanned vehicle market.

Recently, there has been a growing demand in the defense industry for integrated manned and unmanned systems to reduce troop losses and enhance operational sustainability.

Park Byeong-ho, head of Hanwha Aerospace's LS4 project division, stated, "The successful completion of the first performance demonstration of domestically developed UGVs in Europe has proven our technological competitiveness and operational scalability in the global market. It is also meaningful in that it has validated the capabilities of integrated manned and unmanned systems in a practical environment, suggesting a direction for the development of multipurpose unmanned systems that the South Korean military is pursuing."