South Korea’s K808 White Tiger (Image courtesy of Hyundai Rotem)
SEOUL, May 3 (Korea Bizwire) – The Peruvian Army has chosen South Korea’s K808 White Tiger as the new wheeled armored vehicle to enhance its military capabilities.
On May 1, the Peruvian Army’s weapons and munitions provider (FAME) announced that it had selected the South Korean companies Hyundai Rotem (supplier) and STX (contractor) as the priority negotiators for the Peruvian Army’s mobility improvement program.
As a result, Hyundai Rotem and STX are set to supply 30 units of the 8×8 wheeled armored vehicle K808 White Tiger in the first phase, with the potential to extend the contract up to 120 units.
Wheeled armored vehicles, unlike tracked vehicles like tanks, move by rotating individual wheels like regular automobiles without utilizing continuous tracks.
The Peruvian authorities expect the K808 to significantly contribute to enhancing ground combat capabilities due to its outstanding ballistic and blast protection, agility with a maximum speed of around 100 km/h (8 km/h in the water), machine gun armament, and the availability of 8-wheel run-flat tires.
South Korea’s K808 White Tiger (Image courtesy of Hyundai Rotem)
The initial project budget is reported to be around 230 million soles (approximately 84 billion won). In April 2023, the Peruvian Ministry of Defense had approved this additional budget for the armored vehicle procurement.
According to a previous press release from the Peruvian Ministry of Defense, out of the initial 30 vehicles, 18 units were planned for deployment with the 3rd Armored Brigade, and 12 units with the 6th Armored Brigade.
In collaboration with FAME, Hyundai Rotem and STX have secured the rights to potentially supply a range of mobility equipment in the long term, including 4-wheel and 6-wheel armored vehicles, small and large tactical vehicles, and recovery vehicles.
The Peruvian Embassy in South Korea described this achievement, supported by the Ministry of National Defense, Defense Acquisition Program Administration, and the Embassy itself, as the first large-scale supply of combat armored vehicles to Latin America in the history of South Korean defense exports.
“As a result of over 60 years of friendly relations, Peru has solidified its position as a hub for South Korea’s defense industry cooperation in Latin America,” said Choi Jong-uk, the South Korean Ambassador to Peru. He added, “With many South Korean companies participating in a large-scale naval infrastructure project at the Callao Port, we expect mutual benefits between the two countries to continue to grow.”
Previously, the Peruvian state-owned shipbuilder SIMA PERU, under the Peruvian Navy, signed a 600 billion won contract with Hyundai Heavy Industries for the joint production of four naval vessels locally, marking the largest defense export deal to Latin America, with the potential for further contracts in the future.
The formal contract signing between FAME and Hyundai Rotem-STX is expected to take place later this month.
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
