The process of the Australian Land 4140 project has reportedly officially begun. Hanwha Systems is working to win the contract, including providing C4I-related information to Australia. If the contract is successfully completed, it will be the first time to export defense industry software.
According to the defense industry on the 13th, Hanwha System recently sent a reply after checking the Australian government procurement information system for land 4140 related business. Land 4140 is a project aimed at improving the weapon system as well as command and control of the entire Australian military, and Hanwha System has been pushing for it since 2022.
C4I refers to command, control, communication, computer, and intelligence. It is a software program that can connect land, sea, air, and space through communication to share information on the battlefield. It visualizes and disseminates information identified by allied troops or surveillance drones deployed in various battlefields in real time.
Hanwha System is striving to secure the Land 4140 contract. They emphasize the capability to expand communication coverage by linking their C4I systems to low-earth orbit satellites of the British satellite company OneWeb. Hanwha System previously acquired a 9% equity stake in OneWeb for $300 million (4.36 billion won) in 2021. The bidding announcement related to the Australian government’s upgrade of the command and control system is expected to occur within this year.
The contract scale is expected to be several hundred billion won. While this amount is not larger than other weapons systems exports, the analysis shows it is significant as the first software export. An industry insider noted, ‘If successful, this export would recognize the production capability of the Korean defense industry in establishing a communication network connecting land, sea, air, and space.’
In 2022, Hanwha System signed a memorandum of understanding with OneWeb to participate in the Australian military satellite internet project, marking their bid for the Land 4140 contract. Last year, they expanded their cooperative relationship with local corporations by entering into a business agreement with GME, an Australian company specializing in radio transceivers. GME has been engaged in the radio frequency (RF) communication field for over 60 years.