South Korean Army Trains With Drones, Robots and Laser Anti-Drone System
The South Korean Army said it held drills at Yangpyeong using drones, robots, a laser anti-drone system and an AI-equipped engineer vehicle, part of a plan to field manned-unmanned teaming units across the service by 2040.
Military officials said the exercise took place Wednesday and was aimed at strengthening the Army's ability to carry out multidomain operations and improving operational efficiency. The Army has pursued modernization in part to offset the country's demographic decline and to adjust to what it describes as a rapidly changing security environment, according to the service.
The training falls under an initiative known as the "Army TIGER plus" project, which seeks to convert all Army units into formations equipped with manned-unmanned teaming combat systems capable of multidomain operations by 2040. The Army currently runs two pilot units for the project and plans to increase that number to 12 by 2030 ahead of full implementation.
During Wednesday's drills, which were disclosed to the media, troops teamed with unmanned systems to carry out a range of exercises, including drone and counter-drone warfare and integrated unmanned operations involving surveillance drones and unmanned reconnaissance vehicles.
The Army deployed a laser-based anti-drone air defense system, called Cheongwang, to shoot down an enemy drone in midair, according to Yonhap News Agency. An air defense gun and missile system, together with a vehicle-mounted counter-drone system, was also used to neutralize a simulated drone target.
A combat team composed of unmanned assets was sent into a simulated minefield to clear a safe path for troops, the report said. The team included the Korea Combat Engineer Vehicle, a K21 armored vehicle fitted with artificial intelligence-based remote control systems, as well as surveillance drones and four-legged walking robots.