South Korea deploys wheeled command post vehicle

The CPV (pictured above) is operated by a two-person crew with accommodation for up to eight additional personnel. It is equipped with a positive pressure system to protect against nuclear, biological, and chemical agents, and is fitted with a protected weapon station. (DAPA)

The Republic of Korea Army (RoKA) has deployed a wheeled command post vehicle (CPV) to the service's 25th Infantry Division in Yangju, located 30 km north of Seoul, South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said in a press release on 12 December.

According to DAPA, the vehicle – deployed for the first time with the RoKA – can protect against firearms; artillery; and chemical, biological, and radiological attacks.

The vehicle replaces tent-type field command posts, which take too long to install and dismantle and are vulnerable to a variety of attacks, DAPA said.

DAPA signed contracts worth KRW700 billion (USD530 million) in June 2023 and KRW55.3 billion in June 2022 with Hyundai Rotem to procure an undisclosed number of CPVs.

According to local media, South Korea plans to deploy nearly 600 vehicles by 2029 to the RoKA and RoK Marine Corps units that are operating command post tents.

The CPV – development of which started in 2017 and ended in 2020 – is based on the design of K808 wheeled armoured vehicle (WAV).

The vehicle features command-and-control (C2) systems such as the Army Tactical Command and Control Information System (ATCCIS) and the Battalion Battle Command System (B2CS), DAPA said. The vehicle is also equipped with a central tyre inflation system (CTIS) and a water navigation device for crossing operations, DAPA added.