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South Korea Hanwha Aerospace
K21
South Korea's next-generation infantry fighting vehicle, built on a lightweight aluminium and ceramic composite hull that keeps it fully amphibious while defeating threats as heavy as the BMP-3. Its 40 mm autocannon and planned anti-tank guided missile launchers give it substantial firepower for a vehicle in its weight class.
In service since 2009
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
70
km/h
500
km range
29.2
hp/t
40
mm gun
25,600
kg
💲 ≈ $3,200,000 (public figure)
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
ROK export-licensed
DAPA-administered; aggressive export posture with financing/offset packages.
Channel: Government-to-government
Fielded & proven
Operator data not public
In service since 2009. Status: active · ~466 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$8.0M – $11M
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost — operating & support dominate over ~30 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price.
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 Stronger than 31% of IFVs
- Range
Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.
- 500 km Stronger than 26% of IFVs
- Power-to-weight
Engine power per tonne of vehicle weight. Higher means better acceleration and cross-country mobility.
- 29.2 hp/t Top 9% of IFVs
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Main armament
Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.
- 40 mm SNT Dynamics K40 autocannon
- Caliber
Bore diameter of the main gun or rifle. Larger throws heavier projectiles; not simply better — ammunition commonality matters.
- 40 mm
- Ammunition
Rounds carried (main gun) or standard magazine capacity.
- 240 Stronger than 50% of IFVs
Protection
Armor, countermeasures and survivability.
- Armor
Armor technology: composite, modular, ERA-fitted, uranium-ceramic. Exact compositions are classified.
- 2519 aluminium alloy chassis with S2 glass fiber reinforced Al2O3 ceramic armor; all-round protection against 14.5x114mm API projectiles
- Active protection
Hard-kill APS (Trophy, Arena, Afganit) intercepts incoming projectiles before impact.
- Soft- and hard-kill APS with explosive reactive armor (K21 PIP)
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 6.9 m
- Combat weight
Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.
- 25,600 kg
- Crew
Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.
- 3
- Troop capacity
Number of embarked troops/passengers (IFV, APC, transport). Higher carries more.
- 9 Stronger than 79% of IFVs
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
- Engine
Powerplant model and type.
- Doosan D2840LXE diesel
- Engine power
Engine output power. Higher moves more weight faster.
- 750 hp Stronger than 85% of IFVs
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Unit cost
Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper.
- $3,200,000
- Units built
Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.
- 466 Stronger than 27% of IFVs
Specifications compiled from public Hanwha Aerospace and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
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What is the top speed of the Hanwha Aerospace K21? +
The Hanwha Aerospace K21 has a maximum speed of 70 km/h.
What is the range of the Hanwha Aerospace K21? +
The Hanwha Aerospace K21 has a maximum range of 500 km.
How much does the Hanwha Aerospace K21 weigh? +
The Hanwha Aerospace K21 has a combat weight of 25,600 kg.
How many crew does the Hanwha Aerospace K21 require? +
The Hanwha Aerospace K21 requires a crew of 3.
What is the main armament of the Hanwha Aerospace K21? +
The Hanwha Aerospace K21's primary weapon is the 40 mm SNT Dynamics K40 autocannon.
What engine does the Hanwha Aerospace K21 use? +
The Hanwha Aerospace K21 is powered by the Doosan D2840LXE diesel.
What is the Hanwha Aerospace K21 used for? +
The Hanwha Aerospace K21 is a ifv / apc typically used for infantry combat, anti armor.
How much does the Hanwha Aerospace K21 cost? +
The Hanwha Aerospace K21 has an approximate unit cost of 3,200,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration — treat this as directional.
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