S. Korea to deploy latest armored vehicle later this year: official

By Sam Kim
SEOUL, Sept. 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Army expects to start deploying its most
advanced armored vehicles, capable of fighting helicopters, by the end of this
year, an official said Monday.
The K-21 armored fighting vehicle recently underwent firing tests and will start
to be deployed at major armored divisions and training facilities after a few
more final examinations, the official said.
"They should dramatically improve the fighting capabilities of Korea's armored
forces once they are ready for missions by the end of this year," an official at
the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said, declining to be named
due to policy.
Equipped with a 40mm automatic canon and an anti-tank weaponry system that can
also be used to tackle helicopters, the K-21 has been in development since 1999.
The Army, which invested 91 billion won (US$73 million) in the development, plans
to produce a total of 500 K-21 vehicles, according to the DAPA.
Developed and produced indigenously, the vehicle is capable of moving in water.
Its counterparts are the M2A3 in the United States and the BMP-3 in Russia.
samkim@yna.co.kr
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