{ "id": "k21", "name": "K21", "aliases": [], "domain": "land", "country": "KOR", "category": "Amphibious infantry fighting vehicle", "status": null, "fielded": 2009, "operators": [ "KOR" ], "prolif_count": 1, "summary": "The K21 is a South Korean infantry fighting vehicle. A replacement for the K200-series, it was formerly designated as K300 or XK21 KNIFV (Korea Next-generation Infantry Fighting Vehicle).", "specs": [ { "k": "", "label": "Manufacturer", "section": "system", "v": "Hanwha Defense (originally Daewoo Heavy Industries, later renamed as Doosan DST, follow by Hanwha Defense Systems)", "src": [ "weg-k21" ], "conf": "medium" }, { "k": "", "label": "Configuration", "section": "system", "v": "Track", "src": [ "weg-k21" ], "conf": "medium" }, { "k": "crew", "v": 3, "src": [ "weg-k21" ], "conf": "medium" }, { "k": "length_m", "v": 6.9, "src": [ "weg-k21" ], "conf": "medium" }, { "k": "width_m", "v": 3.4, "src": [ "weg-k21" ], "conf": "medium" }, { "k": "height_m", "v": 2.6, "src": [ "weg-k21" ], "conf": "medium" }, { "k": "combat_weight_t", "v": 25, "src": [ "weg-k21" ], "conf": "medium" }, { "k": "engine_name", "v": "Doosan D2848LXE", "src": [ "weg-k21" ], "conf": "medium" }, { "k": "engine_hp", "v": 680, "src": [ "weg-k21" ], "conf": "medium" }, { "k": "road_range_km", "v": 450, "src": [ "weg-k21" ], "conf": "medium" }, { "k": "speed_road_kmh", "v": 70, "src": [ "weg-k21" ], "conf": "medium" }, { "k": "speed_swim_kmh", "v": 6, "src": [ "weg-k21" ], "conf": "medium" }, { "k": "", "label": "Fording depth", "section": "mobility", "v": "Amphibious", "src": [ "weg-k21" ], "conf": "medium" }, { "k": "", "label": "Computerized FCS", "section": "firecontrol", "v": "Yes, The fire-control system is able to spot and track targets as far away as 6,000 metres (3.7 mi) away and identify them from up to 3,000 metres (1.9 mi) away. IFF sensors are also present. The vehicle also has hunter-killer capabilities ", "src": [ "weg-k21" ], "conf": "medium" }, { "k": "", "label": "Thermal Sight Vehicle Commander", "section": "firecontrol", "v": "Yes, The commander's sight is equipped with the same system as the gunner's. This allows the gunner to use the commander's sight to engage targets if his own sight is disabled or destroyed. The commander of the vehicle also has the ability ", "src": [ "weg-k21" ], "conf": "medium" }, { "k": "", "label": "Thermal Sight Gunner", "section": "firecontrol", "v": "Yes, The gunner's sight is equipped with a third generation thermal viewer and a 1.54 μm laser rangefinder. It can detect targets from 6,000 meters away and identify them from 3,000 meters away.", "src": [ "weg-k21" ], "conf": "medium" }, { "k": "", "label": "Main Gun Stabilization", "section": "firecontrol", "v": "Yes", "src": [ "weg-k21" ], "conf": "medium" }, { "k": "", "label": "Hull Armor", "section": "protection", "v": "2519 aluminium alloy chassis. Layers consisting of S2 glass fiber reinforced Al2O3 ceramic armor. All round protection against 14.5×114mm API projectiles as well as 20 mm FSP. Frontal armour is resistant to 30 mm APDS rounds fired from a 2A", "src": [ "weg-k21" ], "conf": "medium" }, { "k": "", "label": "Turret Armor", "section": "protection", "v": "All round protection against 14.5×114mm API projectiles as well as 20 mm FSP", "src": [ "weg-k21" ], "conf": "medium" }, { "k": "", "label": "Applique Armor", "section": "protection", "v": "Available", "src": [ "weg-k21" ], "conf": "medium" }, { "k": "", "label": "Explosive reactive armor", "section": "protection", "v": "Soft- and hard-kill anti-missile defense systems, ERA, NERA (only for the K21 PIP)", "src": [ "weg-k21" ], "conf": "medium" }, { "k": "", "label": "NBC Protection", "section": "protection", "v": "Yes", "src": [ "weg-k21" ], "conf": "medium" }, { "k": "", "label": "Smoke Equipment", "section": "protection", "v": "Yes", "src": [ "weg-k21" ], "conf": "medium" }, { "k": "armament", "label": "Secondary armament", "v": "K12", "src": [ "weg-k21" ], "conf": "medium" } ], "payloads": [ { "name": "PFHE, APFSDS, MMFA, T", "role": "40mm ammunition", "src": [ "weg-k21" ], "conf": "medium", "caps": {}, "qty": "40 Rounds" } ], "variants": [ { "name": "Ammunition note", "text": "The K-21 also carries two indigenously developed ATGW launchers, but exact details and number of missiles carried are unknown.", "src": [ "weg-k21" ] }, { "name": "K21-105", "text": "Light Tank version with a 105mm rifled main gun.", "src": [ "weg-k21" ] } ], "art": "ifv", "image": { "file": "k21.jpg", "thumb": "k21-thumb.jpg", "credit": "대한민국 국군 Republic of Korea Armed Forces", "license": "CC BY-SA 2.0", "url": "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2014.4.1_%EC%9C%A1%EA%B5%B0_%EC%88%98%EB%8F%84%EA%B8%B0%EA%B3%84%ED%99%94%EB%B3%B4%EB%B3%91%EC%82%AC%EB%8B%A8_K-21_%EC%9E%A5%EA%B0%91%EC%B0%A8_%EC%82%AC%EA%B2%A9%EC%A7%91%EC%A4%91%ED%9B%88%EB%A0%A8_Republic_of_Korea_Army_(13592630584).jpg", "title": "File:2014.4.1 육군 수도기계화보병사단 K-21 장갑차 사격집중훈련 Republic of Korea Army (13592630584).jpg" }, "verified": null, "changelog": [ { "date": "2026-10-10", "change": "Entry created from the Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN), bulk import" }, { "date": "2026-10-10", "change": "Added photo (CC BY-SA 2.0)" } ], "url": "https://www.defensepedia.com/systems/k21.html", "sources": { "weg-k21": { "title": "K21 South Korean Amphibious Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV)", "publisher": "U.S. Army TRADOC G-2 Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN)", "url": "https://odin.t2com.army.mil/WEG/Asset/K21_South_Korean_Amphibious_Infantry_Fighting_Vehicle", "published": "2026-03-20", "tier": 1, "checked": "2026-10-10" } } }