South Korea’s military will deploy domestic infrared-shielding smoke canisters by 2025.
This follows a 7.5-billion-won ($5.5 million) deal signed between the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) and Samyang Chemical Co. for the mass production of the specialized canisters starting from 2024 to 2026 after completing development in 2020.
After successful production inspections and field operation tests, the canisters will be deployed to the military by next year.
These latest devices conceal soldiers from enemy thermal imaging systems and laser-guided weapons by scattering infrared radiation, as well as blocking visible light.
This is in contrast to the KM5 white smoke canister and KM4A2 floating white smoke canister, which have been in use since the 1980s and are limited to obstructing only visible light.
DAPA said that the newly developed canisters can be used in ground and marine operations.
The obscuring devices are also developed to be non-carcinogenic and low in toxicity, having similar levels with those used by the US and Germany, for lesser damage to human health and the environment.
“We are proud to have developed an infrared shielding smoke canister with improved performance and toxicity using our own technology and to have signed the first mass production contract,” DAPA’s Firepower Division Head Kim Ho-seong said.
Seoul also plans to promote its domestically produced smoke canisters for sale to other countries.