Korea's 1st unmanned military ground vehicle gets ready for battlefield

Hanwha Aerospace demonstrated Korea’s first multipurpose uncrewed ground vehicle, the Arion-SMET, at its Changwon Plant 2 in South Gyeongsang Province on Monday. The vehicle can autonomously follow a soldier, travel at up to 60 kilometers per hour and carry out supply missions with no driver aboard. Hanwha said it signed a mass-production contract with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration on Sept. 4, and deliveries to Army and Marine Corps infantry units will begin next year.

The latest model can carry about 450 kilograms and perform off-road autonomous driving, soldier-following and supply transport missions.

Hanwha Aerospace said it completed the military’s selection tests without a single mechanical failure.

Development of the vehicle began in 2016 under a civil-military cooperation project, and a second-generation model underwent the U.S. Department of Defense’s Foreign Comparative Testing program in late 2023.

At least 98 percent of the vehicle has been localized, with about 40 Korean suppliers providing components.

Hanwha Aerospace plans to establish six common uncrewed ground vehicle platforms across light, medium and heavy weight classes by 2030.

Published Sep 17, 2026 12:01 pm KST

Hanwha Aerospace prepares to mass-produce Arion-SMET for Army, Marine Corps

The Arion-SMET multipurpose uncrewed ground vehicle demonstrates its autonomous soldier-following function at Hanwha Aerospace’s Changwon Plant 2 test site in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, Monday. Courtesy of Hanwha Aerospace

CHANGWON, South Gyeongsang Province — As an employee walked across a test track at Hanwha Aerospace’s Changwon Plant 2, a four-wheeled vehicle trailed several meters behind, matching his path without anyone at the controls.

The vehicle was the Arion-SMET, Korea’s first multipurpose uncrewed ground vehicle selected for military deployment.

“The Arion-SMET can autonomously follow a soldier in front without any intervention from the operator,” said Lee Yun-su, a research engineer at Hanwha Aerospace’s Manned-Unmanned Teaming R&D Center, during the demonstration Monday.

The vehicle then picked up speed under remote control. It can travel at up to 60 kilometers per hour, allowing it to leave dangerous areas or deliver supplies, according to the company.

A 7.62-millimeter remote-controlled weapon station mounted on top swiveled toward a target on the test ground. Even as the vehicle moved, the weapon remained trained on it.

For the final demonstration, another Hanwha employee loaded supplies onto the vehicle and pressed a button on its side. With no driver aboard, the Arion-SMET moved toward a preset destination. The function is designed to reduce troops’ physical burden and exposure to danger during supply missions.

Hanwha Aerospace signed a mass-production contract with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration on Sept. 4. The vehicles will be delivered to Army and Marine Corps infantry units in stages beginning next year.

The latest model can carry about 450 kilograms and perform off-road autonomous driving, soldier-following and supply transport missions. It also features an artificial intelligence (AI)-based remote fire control system. The company said it completed the military’s selection tests without a single mechanical failure.

Arion-SMET multipurpose uncrewed ground vehicle / Courtesy of Hanwha Aerospace

Development began in 2016 under a civil-military cooperation project. A second-generation model underwent the U.S. Department of Defense’s Foreign Comparative Testing program in late 2023. The Korean military selected a third-generation model incorporating feedback from previous trials.

At least 98 percent of the vehicle has been localized, with about 40 Korean suppliers providing components. Hanwha said this would allow faster maintenance and logistics support.

AI can detect and track targets, but the decision to engage them remains with a human operator.

“There are actions, including actual firing, that require a decision by the operator,” said Park Mae-hun, head of the at Hanwha Aerospace’s Manned-Unmanned Teaming R&D Center.

“When identification is based on video, an AI recommendation alone cannot be used to identify a target as hostile and open fire without human verification,” he said.

Park said the military would also need new operational concepts to use uncrewed systems effectively.

“If we are simply going to operate in the same way as before, there is little reason to use these uncrewed systems,” he said. “The military needs to test different operational concepts through combat experiments and rapid-demonstration programs.”

Park Mae-hun, head of Hanwha Aerospace’s Manned-Unmanned Teaming R&D Center, presents the company’s progress in artificial intelligence and manned-unmanned teaming development for ground platforms during a media day at its Changwon Plant 2 in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, Monday. Courtesy of Hanwha Aerospace

Before the outdoor demonstration, reporters toured a production building where Chunmoo multiple rocket launchers and Cheongung-II missile launchers were being assembled. On the Chunmoo line, chassis were fitted with wheels, cabins and engines.

Part of the building is scheduled to house an Arion-SMET assembly area next year, expanding the plant’s role from producing established defense exports to manufacturing Korea’s first multipurpose uncrewed military vehicle.

Established in 1984, the 198,000-square-meter plant is roughly the size of 30 soccer fields. It produces equipment ranging from K200 and K21 armored vehicles to air defense systems.

Starting with the Arion-SMET, Hanwha Aerospace plans to establish six common uncrewed ground vehicle platforms across light, medium and heavy weight classes by 2030.

The company also aims to secure technology by 2029 that would allow existing platforms, including the K9 self-propelled howitzer, Chunmoo and a next-generation infantry fighting vehicle, to operate with or without crews depending on the mission.

“We will build a production system capable of reliably supplying the uncrewed vehicles needed by the Korean military and allied countries,” said Kim Dong-hyun, head of the company’s Land Systems Business Group. “We will also actively secure technologies to lead the development of defense uncrewed systems for future battlefields.”

韩华航空航天公司周一在其位于庆尚南道昌原市的第二工厂展示了韩国首款多用途无人地面车辆Arion-SMET。该车辆能够自主跟随士兵行进，最高时速可达60公里，并可在无人驾驶的情况下执行补给任务。韩华表示，已于9月4日与韩国国防采办计划管理局签署了量产合同，并将于明年开始向陆军和海军陆战队步兵部队交付该车辆。

最新型号可承载约 450 公斤的货物，并可执行越野自动驾驶、士兵跟随和物资运输任务。

韩华航空航天公司表示，该公司顺利完成了军方的选拔测试，没有出现任何机械故障。

该车辆的研发始于 2016 年，是军民合作项目的一部分；第二代车型于 2023 年底接受了美国国防部的外国对比测试计划。

该车至少98%的零部件已实现本地化生产，约有40家韩国供应商提供了零部件。

韩华航空航天公司计划到 2030 年建立六个通用的无人地面车辆平台，涵盖轻型、中型和重型级别。

发布于2026年9月17日下午12:01（韩国标准时间）

韩华航空航天公司准备为陆军和海军陆战队批量生产Arion-SMET发动机

周一，在庆尚南道昌原市韩华航空航天公司昌原2号工厂试验场，Arion-SMET多用途无人地面车辆演示了其自主跟随士兵的功能。图片由韩华航空航天公司提供。

庆尚南道昌原市——在韩华航空航天昌原工厂 2 号厂，一名员工走过测试跑道时，一辆四轮车跟在他身后几米处，沿着他的路线行驶，但车内无人操控。

该车辆是 Arion-SMET，是韩国首款被选用于军事部署的多用途无人地面车辆。

“Arion-SMET 可以自主跟随前方的士兵，无需操作员的任何干预，”韩华航空航天公司载人-无人协同研发中心的研究工程师李允洙在周一的演示中说道。

随后，车辆在遥控下加速。据该公司称，其最高时速可达60公里，使其能够驶离危险区域或运送物资。

安装在顶部的7.62毫米遥控武器站可以旋转对准试验场上的目标。即使车辆移动，武器也始终瞄准着目标。

在最后的演示中，另一名韩华员工将物资装载到车辆上，并按下车身侧面的一个按钮。在没有驾驶员的情况下，Arion-SMET 自行驶向预设目的地。该功能旨在减轻部队在补给任务中的体力负担和危险风险。

韩华航空航天公司于9月4日与美国国防采办计划管理局签署了一份批量生产合同。这些车辆将从明年开始分阶段交付给陆军和海军陆战队的步兵部队。

最新款车型可承载约450公斤的重量，并能执行越野自主驾驶、士兵跟随和物资运输任务。它还配备了基于人工智能（AI）的远程火控系统。该公司表示，该车型顺利通过了军方的选型测试，未出现任何机械故障。

Arion-SMET 多用途无人地面车辆 / 图片由韩华航空航天公司提供

该项目于2016年在军民合作框架下启动研发。第二代型号于2023年底接受了美国国防部的外国对比测试项目。韩国军方最终选择了第三代型号，并采纳了之前试验的反馈意见。

该车至少98%的零部件已实现本地化生产，约有40家韩国供应商提供相关组件。韩华表示，这将有助于加快维护和后勤保障速度。

人工智能可以检测和跟踪目标，但是否与其交战的决定权仍然掌握在人类操作员手中。

“有些行动，包括实际开火，需要操作员做出决定，”韩华航空航天公司载人-无人协同研发中心负责人朴梅勋表示。

他说：“当身份识别基于视频时，仅凭人工智能的推荐无法在没有人工验证的情况下将目标识别为敌对目标并开火。”

朴正熙表示，军方还需要新的作战理念才能有效使用无人系统。

他说：“如果我们只是沿用以前的作战方式，那么使用这些无人系统就没有什么意义了。军方需要通过实战试验和快速演示项目来测试不同的作战理念。”

周一，在庆尚南道昌原市昌原第二工厂举行的媒体日活动上，韩华航空航天公司载人-无人协同研发中心负责人朴梅勋介绍了公司在地面平台人工智能和载人-无人协同研发方面取得的进展。图片由韩华航空航天公司提供。

在户外演示之前，记者参观了一座生产车间，那里正在组装“天武”多管火箭炮和“天宫二号”导弹发射车。在“天武”生产线上，底盘被安装上车轮、驾驶室和发动机。

该建筑的一部分计划于明年成为 Arion-SMET 的组装区，这将使该工厂的功能从生产成熟的国防出口产品扩展到制造韩国第一辆多用途无人军用车辆。

该工厂成立于1984年，占地19.8万平方米，大约相当于30个足球场的大小。它生产的装备种类繁多，从K200和K21装甲车到防空系统，应有尽有。

从 Arion-SMET 开始，韩华航空航天计划到 2030 年建立六个通用的无人地面车辆平台，涵盖轻型、中型和重型级别。

该公司还计划在 2029 年前获得相关技术，使包括 K9 自行榴弹炮、春武和下一代步兵战车在内的现有平台能够根据任务需要，在有或没有乘员的情况下运行。

“我们将建立一套能够可靠地为韩国军队及其盟国供应所需无人车辆的生产体系​​，”公司陆地系统事业部负责人金东铉表示，“我们还将积极获取相关技术，引领未来战场上国防无人系统的发展。”