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South Korea Hanwha Aerospace
AS21 Redback
Hanwha's flagship export infantry fighting vehicle, developed from the Korean K21 and selected by Australia under Project LAND 400 Phase 3 (129 vehicles contracted in December 2023, first deliveries from 2027, manufactured at the Hanwha Armoured Vehicle Centre of Excellence in Geelong). The Redback pairs a two-man turret mounting the 30mm Mk44S Bushmaster II cannon with a 7.62mm coaxial machine gun and an Electro Optic Systems remote weapon station, riding on an MTU diesel powerpack with a hydropneumatic in-arm suspension. It carries a crew of three plus eight dismounts and emphasises survivability with a hybrid modular armour package and provision for an active protection system.
In service since 2018 · 1 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-16
70
km/h
520
km range
30
mm gun
42,000
kg
Pricing: Australia contracted 129 vehicles (Dec 2023); first deliveries from 2027
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
ROK export-licensed
DAPA-administered; aggressive export posture with financing/offset packages.
Channel: Government-to-government
Fielded & proven
Limited · 1 operator
In service since 2018. Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from. Why so few systems publish one →
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance. | 70 km/h |
|---|---|
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 520 km |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type. | 30 mm Mk44S Bushmaster II cannon |
|---|---|
| Secondary armament Additional weapons: coaxial MG, remote weapon station, gun pods. | 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun; EOS remote weapon station |
| Caliber Bore diameter of the main gun or rifle. Larger throws heavier projectiles; not simply better, ammunition commonality matters. | 30 mm |
Protection
Armor, countermeasures and survivability.
| Armor Armor technology: composite, modular, ERA-fitted, uranium-ceramic. Exact compositions are classified. | Hybrid modular composite/reactive armour package |
|---|---|
| NBC protection Sealed crew compartment with overpressure filtration for nuclear/biological/chemical environments. | Yes |
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 8.8 m |
|---|---|
| Width Overall width, matters for rail/road transport of vehicles. | 3.6 m |
| Height Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles. | 3.8 m |
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 42,000 kg |
| Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity. | 3 |
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Engine Powerplant model and type. | MTU 8V199 TE21 (MT881 Ka-500) diesel with Allison transmission |
|---|---|
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | Diesel |
Munition
Round type, penetration, velocity and projectile data.
| Caliber Bore diameter the round is fired from. | 30 mm |
|---|
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 1 |
|---|
Specifications compiled from public Hanwha Aerospace and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-16.
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What is the top speed of the Hanwha Aerospace AS21 Redback? +
The Hanwha Aerospace AS21 Redback has a maximum speed of 70 km/h.
What is the range of the Hanwha Aerospace AS21 Redback? +
The Hanwha Aerospace AS21 Redback has a maximum range of 520 km.
How much does the Hanwha Aerospace AS21 Redback weigh? +
The Hanwha Aerospace AS21 Redback has a combat weight of 42,000 kg.
How many crew does the Hanwha Aerospace AS21 Redback require? +
The Hanwha Aerospace AS21 Redback requires a crew of 3.
What is the main armament of the Hanwha Aerospace AS21 Redback? +
The Hanwha Aerospace AS21 Redback's primary weapon is the 30 mm Mk44S Bushmaster II cannon.
What engine does the Hanwha Aerospace AS21 Redback use? +
The Hanwha Aerospace AS21 Redback is powered by the MTU 8V199 TE21 (MT881 Ka-500) diesel with Allison transmission.
What is the Hanwha Aerospace AS21 Redback used for? +
The Hanwha Aerospace AS21 Redback is a ifv / apc typically used for infantry combat, anti armor.
How many countries operate the Hanwha Aerospace AS21 Redback? +
The Hanwha Aerospace AS21 Redback is operated by 1 countries.
How much does the Hanwha Aerospace AS21 Redback cost? +
Hanwha Aerospace AS21 Redback: Australia contracted 129 vehicles (Dec 2023); first deliveries from 2027. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.
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