Unmanned systems instead of recruits: South Korea selects Hanwha Aerospace's Arion-SMET ground vehicle

A model from Hanwha Aerospace will become South Korea's first series-produced multi-purpose unmanned ground vehicle (UGV), marking a new step for unmanned systems in the country: in July, DAPA, the agency responsible for defence procurement, selected the Arion-SMET.

This is a significant step for the modernisation of the military. Analysts at Global Data, however, see it less as closing a technological gap; the main focus is rather on offsetting the rapidly shrinking pool of conscripts. At unit level, autonomous systems are to replace personnel in critical roles without operational effectiveness suffering as a result.

The vehicle is to enter service between 2027 and 2028 – as a core element of “Tiger 4.0”, the modernisation initiative of the South Korean Army. In 2019, South Korea's regular armed forces still numbered around 560,000 soldiers; in 2025, the figure was about 450,000. UGVs are among the few options for restoring capability at unit level without additional personnel.

Unmanned systems against the personnel shortage

“The pool of young men classified as fit for military service has fallen by 29 per cent over the past ten years. The Korea Institute for Defense Analyses expects it to be in the region of 100,000 by 2038. Restructuring units or extending terms of service cannot absorb a decline of this magnitude, so at unit level the only remaining option is replacing personnel with machines”— Tushar Mangure, aerospace and defence analyst at Global Data

“A UGV that carries loads, conducts route reconnaissance and evacuates casualties relieves soldiers of transport tasks and allows them to refocus on combat missions. The requirement here is arithmetical rather than doctrinal.”— Tushar Mangure, aerospace and defence analyst at Global Data

According to Global Data estimates, South Korea's UGV procurement will amount to around 120 million euros by 2026. The money is to go into explosive ordnance disposal and mine clearance, logistics, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

The Arion-SMET was the first South Korean UGV to go through the US Department of Defense's “Foreign Comparative Testing” programme; in Hawaii, it was evaluated by the US Marine Corps and the US Army.

“This evaluation carries more weight than the award of a domestic contract. It brings a Korean UGV into the US evaluation process, which is the practical route to interoperability with the American forces alongside which the Republic of Korea would fight on the peninsula. It also provides Hanwha with test data from within the alliance that it can present to European and Gulf customers – exactly what distinguishes a credible exporter from a purely national supplier.”— Tushar Mangure

This single programme accounts for almost a quarter of the UGV spending forecast for South Korea up to 2036. This shows how young the segment still is and how valuable an already established market position will be.

“Hanwha now holds contracts for almost all major Korean UGV families, giving the company the volume to reduce unit costs before export competition intensifies. Seoul has also not yet committed to a dedicated combat UGV, and a multi-purpose platform that can be fitted with a remote weapon station keeps that option open.”— Tushar Mangure