Hanwha Systems joins South Korea’s cluster USV control project

Hanwha Systems, a South Korean defense contractor, has participated in a 19 billion won ($15.6 million) government-led project to develop a management system for the Navy’s clustered unmanned surface vehicles, Aju Business Daily shared.

Hanwha Systems said in a statement on 22nd Juna that it has participated in a project led by the Agency for Defense Development, South Korea’s arms research body, to develop clustered unmanned surface vehicle (USV) technology and the management system by 2024.

Clustered USV technology, also known as clustered drone technology, harnesses a group of USVs via a wireless network to have robots operate in unison. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are operated in clusters by some countries including the United States for surveillance and strike designated targets including humans, moving vehicles and facilities.

When the development is finished, a group of artificial intelligence (AI)-based USV will be deployed to coastal areas of South Korea for patrol and counteract against invading forces. The USVs that are connected via wireless networks can also cooperatively search for naval mines placed in water to destroy ships or submarines that come nearby.

Hanwha Systems said the fleet of robot boats can also prevent the landing of enemy’s landing craft air cushion (LCAC), a large-sized landing hovercraft that is designed to carry infantry and light armored assault vehicles, and detect enemy forces approaching their landing points underwater.

The military contractor will establish various demonstration platforms to test the grouped network of USVs and their AI algorithm. “We will throw in all our effort “We will focus all our capabilities on contributing to the smart naval strategy that our navy is aiming for and making the clustered unmanned boat system a global technology,” Hanwha Systems CEO Kim Yeon-chul was quoted as saying.

Utilizing the country’s nationwide networks of 4G, 5G and internet of things (IoT), various South Korean companies and organizations are testing ground for unmanned vehicles including unmanned boats to become the global leader in autonomous ship technologies.

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