Management of the program of defense purchases of South Korea (DAPA)

History

2020: South Korea invests $2.3 billion in drones with rifles and grenade launchers

On September 15 the South Korean Department of the program of defense purchases (DAPA) announced intention of the country to invest $2.3 billion within the next 10 years in development of military unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). It is expected that they will be equipped with rifles and grenade launchers.

The South Korean agency on purchases of arms, the military and special equipment published images of two prototypes of fighting shock UAVs, one of which is equipped with the K-2 assault rifle, and another - grenade launchers which will support soldiers on fields of battles.

The UAV equipped with the shtrumovy K-2 rifle

At an online seminar on September 15, 2020 the Management of the program of defense purchases (DAPA) announced start of the ten-year project within which it will be invested by about 2.7 trillion wons ($2.2 billion) for improvement of opportunities of military drones.

The realization of this project will be enabled in two directions. The management will cooperate with the local companies for the purpose of development and acquisition of key technologies for unmanned aerial vehicles with vertical take off and landing and shock drones.

The UAV equipped with grenade launchers

DAPA is going to buy prospecting drones, drones repeaters, fighting drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) which will trace fields of battles and to collect geospatial data for the exact artillery attacks in real time from big heights. South Korea created the first military academy of drones in 2017, expansion of network of military UAVs is planned further.

Drones and the UAV are widely used on fields of battles and for investigation because of their universality and cost. UAVs do not assume risk of loss of a valuable human resource at knocking down. According to the International institute of strategic researches, in the USA there is the greatest number of military UAVs. Many American drones and the UAV support soldiers in the Middle East.^[1]

Notes