Hanwha Thales Bags S. Korean Ground Surveillance Sensor Development Contract

Hanwha Thales has bagged a contract from the South Korean Defense Acquisition Program Administration(DAPA) to develop unmanned ground surveillance sensors for monitoring North Korean forces in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).

The South Korean defense procurement agency said Tuesday that the deal between the DAPA and  local company Hanwha Thales, a joint venture between Thales and Hanwha, is worth 3.6 billion won ($3.1 million).

The sensors are to be installed in ‘unmanned corners along the southern side of the DMZ, with the capacity to detect any infiltration attempts from the North,” a report in Korea Herald said

"By next year, the exploratory development will be complete, while the system development will be carried out by 2019 before being deployed to the Army and the Marine Corps.," a DAPA official was quoted as saying by Korea Herald.

"The unmanned ground surveillance sensors will be able to detect infiltration by the enemy in an early stage and destroy them so we can cripple any disruption attempts behind the line," the official said.

South Korea and the North came close to a border flashpoint earlier this year over the former broadcasting anti-north propaganda along the DMZ and the latter responding with moving heavy weapons to the front line.