S. Korea Develops Active Protection System for Armored Vehicle

Left circle: launcher, ight circle: 3D search & track radar/thermal search & track
(Photo: MP)

South Korea developed an indigenous active protection system for defending armored fighting vehicles from anti-tank weapons, the country’s arms procurement agency announced Feb. 28.

The Korean Active Protection System (KAPS), developed by the state-funded Agency for Defense Development (ADD), uses a three-dimensional detection/tracking radar and a thermal imager to detect incoming warheads, such as anti-tank guided missiles, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).

KAPS Demostration Video

The system can detect incoming warheads at a range of 150 meters, a DAPA spokesman said, and upon detection, a defensive rocket is fired that explodes 10 to 15 meters from the inbound threat.

“This system demonstrates a new concept of active protection system that can neutralize incoming missiles and rockets,” the spokesman said. He added the system will be installed on the K2 Black Panther main battle tank, now in test runs.

Unveiled in 2007, the K2, jointly developed by the ADD and Hyundai Rotem, carries a three-person crew supported by an auto-loading system and a locally developed 120mm/55-caliber stabilized smoothbore gun. Hundreds of K2s are to be produced over the next few years.

The technology of the KAPC is scheduled to be used in developing other active systems to protect warships, helicopters and government facilities, he noted.

KAPC’s per-unit price is around 670 million won ($600,000), according to the spokesman.

Defense News