Hanwha Systems to Mass Produce Non-metallic Mine Detector Developed by South Korean DAPA

South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration has signed a contract with Hanwha Systems regarding the mass production of a mine detector that can track down even non-metal mines.

The military currently uses PRS-17K mine detector that was introduced in the late 1990. The equipment is outdated, and it is impossible to detect non-metallic mines such as wooden ship mines, DAPA said in a statement.

Developed by DAPA in December 2020, the Mine Detector-II (PRS-20K) uses Ground Penetration Radar to detect a target using radio wave characteristics. The equipment will be delivered to the military from the second half of 2022 after the completion of initial product tests and field operation tests.

After deployment, it will be used for the detection of metal and non-metal mines on the maneuvering route during wartime, and for the detection of lost mines in the civilian access control line and excavation of remains in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).