Shown above are Barracuda 4x4 armored wheeled vehicles of Hanwha Defense. Hanwha signed a contract of providing 25 Barracuda vehicles to Indonesian police forces. Photo courtesy of Hanwha Defense

Korean defense firm will deliver 25 Barracuda armored vehicles to Indonesian police

South Korea’s leading defense manufacturer Hanwha Defense will provide 25 Barracuda 4x4 armored wheeled vehicles to Indonesian police forces.

The contract was signed on June 15 by Hanwha Corporation and the National Police of the Republic of Indonesia after a competitive international bidding process.

Under the deal, Hanwha Defense, as the OEM, is responsible for manufacturing and delivering the multi-role vehicles by 2024.

This is the second export of Barracuda to Indonesia since 2004, when a contract was signed to provide a batch of 20 vehicles to the Indonesian Police.

“As a leading developer of armored combat vehicles in the world, Hanwha Defense is fully dedicated to meet the needs of the Indonesian end user under the latest contract,” Hanwha Senior Executive Vice President Kim Dae-young said.

“In particular, Hanwha Defense will continue to offer our top class wheeled vehicle solutions to Asian customers.”

The Barracuda is a tactical armored vehicle for a wide range of roles and missions such as reconnaissance and internal security.

The vehicle has been operated by South Korean overseas deployment forces, as well as police forces in Indonesia and Vietnam.

Based on a Mercedes-Benz FGA special chassis, the 12.5-ton vehicle is covered with steel plate armor to provide ballistic protection against 7.62mm caliber projectiles.

It features excellent maneuverability with a top speed of 100km/h and long-range driving distance of 1,160 km.

The vehicle uses run-flat tire to allow for running at 30km/h even when the air pressure is lost after being punctured.

It can transport a 15-person crew and can be equipped with a roof-mounted small-caliber weapon station, CCTV, GPS, Dozer blade and amplifier.

Hanwha Defense has tried to showcase its technological edge by demonstrating the next-generation 6x6 Tigon wheeled armored personnel carrier during a 2018 trial operated by the Malaysian armed forces.

The Tigon has a combat weight of 21 tons and can carry up to 11 crew. Powered by a 525- horsepower engine, the vehicle has a maximum road speed of 110 km/h with an operational range of 800 km.

The vehicle is also able to move in water with a top speed of 8.5 km/h, according to Hanwha Defense.

With the modular design, the Tigon can be armed with different types of weapon systems such as 7.62 mm machine gun; 12.7 mm and 30 mm guns mounted on a remote-controlled weapons system; and 90mm cannon.
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