[Military Sub-Plane] By Friedrich Lau
On May 27, at a media invitation hosted by the South Korean Army, the AS21 "Red-backed Spider" tracked armored infantry fighting vehicle developed by Hanwha Defense Corporation of South Korea demonstrated its performance. Previously, the "Red-backed Spider" infantry fighting vehicle participated in the third phase of the Australian Army's next-generation new infantry fighting vehicle procurement project code-named LAND 400, and will compete fiercely with the KF41 "Bobcat" infantry fighting vehicle produced by Rheinmetall in Germany. Subsequently, the South Korean Army conducted a six-week test of the infantry fighting vehicle, and the media open event was held after the South Korean Army ended the test. During the event, the infantry fighting vehicle performed an obstacle show, including through ramps and wading water, as well as a demonstration of off-road mobility, as well as rapid steering, turret rotation, and troop delivery.
The AS21 is a fifth-generation infantry fighting vehicle based on a tracked armored chassis, with a crew of 3 people, including drivers, commanders and gunners, and can carry 8 heavily armed soldiers. The first prototype was unveiled in October 2019 during the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Show (ADEX) at seoul's Seoul Air Force Base in South Korea. The vehicle uses composite rubber tracks, which greatly reduce the vibration and noise generated during driving. At the same time, the car is equipped with Iron Fist hard kill active protection system and Solar Sigma shield protection system, which can provide effective protection for passengers. Subsequently, to replace the Australian Army's active M113AS4, the vehicle became the Australian Army LAND 400 infantry combat vehicle as one of the candidates for the third phase of the procurement project.
In terms of weapons, the AS21 is equipped with an EOS T-2000 modular turret consisting of a Bushmaster MK44S 30mm cannon, a MAG 58 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, a 76mm multi-barrel smoke grenade launcher, and two SPIKE LR2 anti-tank missile launchers, which can also be equipped with an EOS R400S Mk2 HD or R150 remote control weapons station.
In terms of protection capabilities, the protection level of the AS21 hull and turret can meet the protection requirements of the NATO standard STANAG 2-6. Equipped with an advanced active protection system and modular additional armor, it is possible to effectively intercept incoming guided anti-tank missiles/shells. In terms of maneuverability, the AS21 is powered by an MTU MT 881 Ka-500 8-cylinder diesel engine with 1,000 horsepower and a maximum road speed of 65 km/h and a maximum cruising range of 520 km.
Due to the recognition of the Rokka military and the smooth testing in Australia, Hanwha is optimistic about the prospects of the infantry combat vehicle, which has been demonstrated in several European countries and the United States in order to further enhance its international competitiveness. Subsequently, the company plans to carry out relevant road tests for South Korean terrain in August to verify the handling and durability of the AS21, which will include covering 10,000 kilometers on rough terrain, paved and unpaved roads.