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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, South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration cited an average unit cost of about KRW 3.95 billion, roughly USD 3.5 million, in 2014-era figures, close to the commonly cited USD 3.2 million baseline used here. The two figures likely reflect different production batches.
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. How we estimate this →
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. | 500 km |
| Power-to-weight Engine power per tonne of vehicle weight. Higher means better acceleration and cross-country mobility. | 29.2 hp/t |
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 |
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 |
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 |
Munition
Round type, penetration, velocity and projectile data.
| Caliber Bore diameter the round is fired from. | 40 mm |
|---|
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 |
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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K21 vs
BTR-82A Frequently asked questions
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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