S. Korea's K21 in race to win Indonesia's military contract

Korea's K21 variant with 105 mm rifled gun [janes] ★

South Korean defense firm Hanwha Defense Systems is competing with its Russian and Turkish counterparts for Indonesia's 95 million US dollar military program to acquire 50 armored personnel carriers, according to a British defense magazine.

The Indonesian Ministry of Defence is currently evaluating proposals from Russia's Military-Industrial Company, Turkey's FNSS, and Hanwha, IHS Jane's Defence Weekly said in an article on its website.

The K21 infantry fighting vehicle designed by the state-run Agency for Defense Development has been in service since 2009. The agency has upgraded it or developed its variants.

Options being considered are Russia's BTR-80, Turkey's ACV-19 and Hanwha's Next Infantry Fighting Vehicle (NIFV) K21, the weekly said.

Besides deployment with Indonesian marine units, the armored vehicles are also being planned for Indonesia's deployment at international operations, such as UN peacekeeping missions, it said.

Citing program briefing documents, Jane's said that one of the requirements in the contract is that the winning bidder must deliver between 10-15 APCs in a semi-knocked down state of assembly to Indonesia, with final assembly to be done locally through technology transfer arrangements.

A subsequent batch of 35-40 units is to be delivered through licensed production arrangements with local companies, it said, adding Indonesia is expected to come to a decision by April 2017.

  ♞ Ajudaily