• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

AS21 Redback

Hanwha Defense Systems revealed its offering for the LAND 400 Phase 3 infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) requirement to replace The Australian Army’s M113AS4 armoured personnel carrier (APC). The South Korean company Hanwha Defense Systems presented the new AS21 Redback infantry fighting vehicle during the 2018 Earth Forces conference, held in Adelaide, Australia, from September 4 to 6. The advanced version of the K21 infantry fighting vehicle, known in Australia as the AS21 Redback, was presented for the first time at the 2018 Ground Forces conference.

The AS21 Redback is designed for the Land 400 Phase 3 campaign to replace the M113AS4 armored personnel carrier (APC) of the Australian Army. The new modifications are designed to improve the survivability against higher threat levels and to adapt to the enemy's armored combat vehicles.

In addition, the largest Redback hull with the highest internal volume to accommodate eight male dismantlings of the 95th percentile plus three crew members. Hanwha confirmed that space, weight and power measurements have been taken to allow the turret to adapt to an active protection system that the ADF will most likely select separately, with the detection and tracking sensors, the radar and the dispensers of countermeasures clearly in evidence.

A spokesman for Hanwha said: "With this legacy, Hanwha Defense Systems is able to customize its shielded solutions to a variety of specifications in order to meet the future war requirements of any country." Hanwha Defense Systems is a leading provider of defense platforms in South Korea with a portfolio of armored personnel carriers, infantry combat vehicles, air defense systems and launch systems.

The AS21 Redback will, like its BAE competitor, be capable of hosting a crew of 11 (three crew, eight troops), a top road speed of 70km/h, cross country speed of 40km/h, an operational range of 500 kilometres, with an armament consisting of a 40mm autocannon and a single 7.62mm coaxial machine gun.

Redback Spiders are found throughout Australia and are common in disturbed and urban areas. Redback spiders (Latrodectus hasselti) belong to the Family Theridiidae, which is found worldwide. The notorious Black Widow Spider (Latrodectus sp) of the United States is a close relative of the Redback Spider, and only differs in appearance by the absence of a red dorsal stripe. Other species of Latrodectus occur in Africa, New Zealand (the Katipo), the Pacific Islands, Europe and North and South America.

Female Redback Spiders are black (occasionally brownish) with an obvious orange to red longitudinal stripe on the upper abdomen, with the red stripe sometimes being broken, and an "hourglass" shaped red/orange spot on the underside of the abdomen. Juveniles have additional white markings on the abdomen. Females have a body about the size of a large pea and slender legs. The males' red markings are often less distinct. The body is light brown with white markings on the upper side of the abdomen, and a pale hour-glass marking on the underside.