The BSDA 2026 (Black Sea Defense, Aerospace and Security) defense industry trade fair is being held in Bucharest on May 13-15 this year. South Korean company Hanwha Aerospace presented the modular Tigon wheeled armored personnel carrier in a four-axle 8×8 configuration.
Photos: Jakub Link-Lenczowski, MILMAG
The Tigon family of modular platforms includes variants in 4×4, 6×6, and 8×8 drive configurations, with combat weights of 14 t, 21 t, and up to 36 t depending on configuration, respectively. However, only the latter two share a common hull, adapted accordingly to the number of axles. The 8×8 variant was presented in Romania.
The Tigon 8×8 variant is powered by a 700 hp diesel engine coupled to an Allison 4500SP automatic transmission with six forward gears and one reverse gear. Its payload is 6 t. The vehicle, equipped with an independent double-wishbone suspension system, reaches a maximum speed of more than 100 km/h on paved roads and 40 km/h off-road, with an operating range of 800 km on roads. It has a crew of two, with an option for a third crew member depending on configuration, and can transport eight dismounts. The vehicle can negotiate longitudinal gradients of 60% and side slopes of 30%, as well as obstacles 0.6 m high and trenches 2.0 m wide.
The modular design makes it possible to configure the vehicle as an infantry carrier with a remotely controlled weapon station armed with a 12.7 mm machine gun with 200 rounds, plus 1,000 spare rounds carried in the hull; an infantry fighting vehicle with a 30 mm automatic cannon and an optional RCWS with a 12.7 mm machine gun; a fire-support vehicle with a CMI Defence Cockerill 3105 turret armed with a 105 mm gun; a 120 mm self-propelled mortar, in both turreted and compartment-mounted mortar versions; and a tank destroyer armed with TAipers (Tank Snipers) anti-tank guided missiles, also known as Cheongeom, with a range of up to 8 km, a flight speed of 200 m/s, and the ability to penetrate up to 1,000 mm of rolled homogeneous armor (RHA).
The vehicle is equipped with an all-round observation system, providing the crew with full situational awareness on the battlefield, as well as CBRN protection, smoke grenade launchers, and an automatic fire-suppression/explosion-suppression system. Optionally, it can be integrated with a hard-kill active protection system (APS), including a counter-drone variant, a Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS), interfaces compatible with NATO GVA/NGVA standards, and amphibious capabilities.