From suicide drones to robots, South Korea showcases advanced homegrown assets
Seoul, May 28
South Korea staged an integrated military firepower exercise Thursday, showcasing advanced and homegrown assets, including suicide drones and robots, demonstrating ground and air combat capabilities.
The Combined Joint Live-Fire Exercise was held at the Seungjin Fire Training Field in Pocheon, just 25 kilometres south of the inter-Korean border, for its final run open to the public, according to the defence ministry. It previously held two similar drills last week.
It marked the first integrated live-fire drills staged under the Lee Jae Myung administration, Yonhap news agency reported.
This year, the military mobilised some 1,400 troops from 27 units across the military branches - the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps -- along with 457 pieces of equipment.
It showcased a wide range of ground and aerial assets, including the Chunmoo multiple launch rocket system, K2 tanks, K9A1 self-propelled howitzers and a homegrown KF-21 fighter jet, among many others.
Also mobilised were various unmanned assets, deemed critical in modern warfare, such as surveillance drones, "suicide drones" and multi-legged robots.
The first phase of the main drills began under a simulated attack scenario by an enemy, with troops utilising surveillance drones and satellite assets to collect data on the simulated target.
To complete the defensive mission, an artificial intelligence-driven command and control centre gave recommendations to strike, with troops employing a combination of ground and aerial assets, as well as unmanned assets, such as multi-purpose unmanned vehicles, to carry out the operation.
After successfully pushing back the opponents, the troops turned to the second phase of the drills, focused on striking the enemy's mechanised forces and simultaneously deploying assets from land and air, while also employing manned-unmanned teaming combat systems.
Thursday's event, hosted by Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back, was attended by over 1,900 people, including 400 citizen observers.
— IANS
Reader Comments
As a defense enthusiast, I'm thrilled to see how South Korea is integrating drones and robots so seamlessly. But let's be honest—India's military might also deserves recognition. Our Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative is pushing indigenous tech like Tejas and Arjun MBT. Just need more public showcases like this to inspire our youth.
Modern warfare is evolving fast! The use of suicide drones and AI for targeting is a game-changer. But I worry about the ethics—automated decision-making in combat zones is a slippery slope. South Korea's proximity to the border makes these drills necessary, but as a global community, we need to discuss regulations.
Respect to South Korea for pulling this off with 1,400 troops and 457 pieces of equipment. But yaar, 25 km from the border—that's like holding a drill in Amritsar near the Wagah border. The tension must be real. India should consider similar integrated exercises near our borders to boost morale and test new tech.
All this tech is impressive, but I hope the focus stays on de-escalation and diplomacy. South Korea and India both face complex security challenges, but spending billions on weapons while people struggle with basic needs feels off. Just my two cents—defense is important, but so is peace.
Suicide drones and multi-legged robots—straight out of a sci-fi movie! 😅 South Korea is clearly investing in future warfare. I just hope India's DRDO is watching closely and collaborating where possible. We have strong ties with South Korea, so why not joint exercises or tech sharing? Defense partnerships matter.
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