South Korea Showcases Redback Armored Vehicle-based K-NIFV at Seoul Adex 2025

South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace presented its new K-NIFV infantry fighting vehicle at the Seoul ADEX 2025 defense exhibition.

This introduces a Redback-based platform engineered to enhance troop protection and combat capability.

The K-NIFV features artificial intelligence, an unmanned turret with a 30 mm cannon, and dual launchers for anti-tank missiles, NextGenDefense reported. Its fully automated turret removes the need for a crew inside the turret compartment, which increases survivability while enabling seating for up to eight infantry soldiers. The modular system can alternatively support a 40 mm cannon, a 7.62 mm machine gun, and domestically produced anti-tank missiles.

A layered counter-drone system serves as a key attribute of the K-NIFV. It integrates radar guidance, automatic target tracking, and hard-kill active protection to detect, track, and destroy drones from about one kilometer to close engagement distances. The platform is also designed to operate in coordination with reconnaissance drones and unmanned ground robots.

Development partners include SNT Dynamics, which supplies the gun and transmission, and Hanwha Systems, which provides sensors and optics.

According to program details, the K-NIFV initiative began in October 2024 with a budget of roughly $25 million and is scheduled for completion in March 2028. Hanwha intends for the new vehicle to replace the K200A1 fleet first, followed by the K21. The company has reportedly initiated export discussions with Romania, Italy, Norway, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia.