Recently, videos have been released showing the Ukrainian military using drones (unmanned aerial vehicles) to eliminate North Korean troops dispatched to Russia, increasing interest in unmanned weapons. Domestic corporations are accelerating the development of ground, maritime, and aerial unmanned weapons systems to prepare for the increasingly realistic era of unmanned warfare.

According to the defense industry on the 23rd, LIG Nex1 signed a contract with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration for the development of reconnaissance unmanned surface vehicle systems last week. This project, worth 40 billion won, comes about two months after being selected as the final preferred negotiator in September. LIG Nex1 will develop two 12-meter unmanned surface vessels for surveillance reconnaissance missions at navy forward bases and major ports by 2027. It is set to be the first domestic unmanned surface vessel to be integrated into the navy's manned-unmanned hybrid combat system, Navy Sea GHOST.

The Ghost Robotics Vision60 Q-UGV robot used by the U.S. Air Force. /Courtesy of Ghost Robotics

Unmanned surface vessels are at the core of future maritime unmanned systems. HD Hyundai Heavy Industries is also developing the unmanned surface vessel TENEBRIS in collaboration with the U.S. big data company Palantir. By combining HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ autonomous navigation and integrated ship management systems with Palantir's artificial intelligence platform, they aim to complete development by 2026.

LIG Nex1 is continuing strategic investments in aerial and ground unmanned systems. On the 11th, it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for joint development of military drones in the Indo-Pacific region with the U.S. drone company Skydio. This involves integrating LIG Nex1's precision electronic systems into Skydio's autonomous drone system, X10D platform. Skydio is reported to plan to increase drone production while reducing expenses by utilizing LIG Nex1's supply chain and manufacturing capabilities. Recent military drones have evolved into strategic weapons capable of not only reconnaissance missions on the front lines but also targeting precision-guided weapons and direct strikes using cutting-edge AI technology. According to the U.S. market research firm MarketsandMarkets, the global military drone market is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 7%, from $13 billion in 2023 to $18.2 billion in 2028. During this period, the number of military drones is expected to increase from 34,945 to 51,930.

LIG Nex1 has secured its competitiveness in the field of military unmanned robots by completing the acquisition of a 60% equity stake in the U.S. quadruped robot manufacturer Ghost Robotics this year. The quadruped unmanned ground vehicle product, known as the 'robot dog,' Vision60, is currently used by the U.S. Air Force, Department of Homeland Security, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, and the Israeli military.

The Hyundai Rotem multi-purpose unmanned vehicle HR-Sherpa. /Courtesy of Hyundai Rotem

Hanwha Aerospace and Hyundai Rotem are developing AI multipurpose unmanned vehicles. Hanwha Aerospace developed the multipurpose unmanned vehicle Arion-SMET, which can carry personal weapons such as rifles last year, and is now developing another multipurpose unmanned vehicle capable of carrying medium-caliber weapons like guided missiles, with a goal for field deployment by 2030.

After delivering the second generation of the AI multipurpose unmanned vehicle HR-SHERPA to the military in 2021, Hyundai Rotem is currently developing the upgraded fourth generation. HR-SHERPA is the first military unmanned vehicle in the country capable of being equipped with various equipment for missions such as reconnaissance, supply, and fire support.

A representative from Hyundai Rotem explained, 'The fourth generation HR-SHERPA can implement more precise autonomous driving by enhancing sensor performance.'