Lockheed Martin UK and South Korea Unveil AS21 Redback 40 mm IFV With Counter-Drone Capability.

The South Korean AS21 Redback Infantry Fighting Vehicle has gained a new 40 mm counter-drone capability, unveiled on 16 September 2026 at Defense Vehicle Dynamics in Millbrook, as NATO armies look for ways to keep armored formations effective in drone-saturated combat. Developed by South Korea's Hanwha Aerospace and Lockheed Martin UK, the configuration expands the Redback beyond conventional infantry support by adding a dedicated layer of protection against unmanned aerial threats.

The vehicle combines CTA International’s 40 mm cannon with Lockheed Martin UK’s SkyKeeper command-and-control system to support both ground engagements and counter-UAS missions. The integration reflects a broader shift toward armored platforms that can fight traditional targets while also responding to drones that increasingly threaten vehicles, troops, and battlefield mobility.

Related Topic: Australia Strengthens Boxer CRV, Redback IFV and AS9 Artillery for Indo-Pacific Combat Readiness

Hanwha Aerospace’s AS21 Redback IFV, fitted with Lockheed Martin UK’s new 40 mm CTAS turret and SkyKeeper counter-UAS command-and-control system, on display at Defense Vehicle Dynamics 2026 in Millbrook, Bedfordshire. (Picture source: Army Recognition Group)

Lockheed Martin UK developed and integrated the new version of the South Korean AS21 Redback IFV at its Bedfordshire facility, using Generic Vehicle Architecture to connect SkyKeeper with the turret and broader mission systems. Hanwha and Lockheed Martin are presenting the design as an adaptable option for NATO armored vehicle programs, with live demonstrations planned in 2027 in countries including Canada and South Korea.

The most important comparison is with the AS21 Redback ordered by the Australian Army under LAND 400 Phase 3. Australia’s vehicle uses a two-person Redback turret based on the Elbit Systems MT30 Mk 2 design, armed with a Northrop Grumman Mk44S Bushmaster II 30×173 mm cannon, a 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun and Rafael Spike LR2 anti-tank guided missiles. An EOS R400 remote weapon station is mounted above the main turret and also serves as the commander’s sight, giving the Australian configuration another independently controlled sensor and weapon channel.

The Lockheed Martin UK turret changes that weapons balance. Its 40 mm Cased Telescoped Armament System offers a larger-caliber main gun with greater destructive effect per round than the Australian Redback’s 30 mm cannon, while the integration of SkyKeeper adds an air-defense command-and-control layer designed to support counter-drone engagements. By contrast, the Australian configuration retains a stronger dedicated anti-armour emphasis through Spike LR2, giving it a guided weapon for main battle tanks and other heavily protected targets at ranges where the cannon is not the preferred solution.

This means the two Redback configurations are optimized around different threat priorities. Australia spreads lethality across several weapons: the 30 mm cannon handles general direct fire, Spike LR2 provides long-range anti-armor capability, and the R400 adds another surveillance and engagement channel. The British configuration puts more emphasis on the 40 mm cannon as a multi-role weapon and on digital connectivity that can allow the vehicle to participate directly in a wider counter-UAS network.

That distinction is increasingly important for NATO armies studying the battlefield in Ukraine, where reconnaissance drones, loitering munitions and first-person-view attack drones have become persistent threats to armored formations. A counter-drone IFV that can receive aerial tracks from external sensors and rapidly bring a 40 mm cannon onto the target could provide mobile protection that moves with tanks and mechanized infantry rather than relying exclusively on separate short-range air-defense units.

SkyKeeper is central to that concept. Instead of requiring the Redback crew to detect every aerial threat through the vehicle’s own electro-optical sights, the system can contribute to a wider recognized air picture by exchanging sensor and targeting information across the force. In operational terms, this could shorten the detection-to-engagement cycle against drones and allow NATO armored vehicles to distribute counter-UAS responsibilities across more vehicles within a formation.

The 40 mm cannon also gives the new Redback configuration a different direct-fire profile. CTA International’s cased-telescoped ammunition places the projectile inside the ammunition case, allowing a comparatively powerful medium-caliber weapon to be packaged with a compact ammunition-handling system. Depending on ammunition type, the cannon can be used against light armored vehicles, infantry in cover, structures, and selected aerial threats, making it particularly relevant for forces seeking one weapon that can address both conventional ground targets and unmanned aircraft.

The Australian AS21 Redback remains more focused on traditional mechanized warfare and layered ground engagement. Its Mk44S Bushmaster II provides 30 mm firepower against infantry, firing positions and light armored vehicles, while Spike LR2 delivers precision anti-tank capability against heavier targets. The EOS R400 remote weapon station further expands observation and engagement options, but the vehicle’s disclosed architecture does not place counter-UAS command and control at the center of the turret as in the Lockheed Martin defense configuration.

This does not make the 40 mm cannon a direct replacement for Spike LR2. The weapons perform different missions. The 40 mm CTAS improves medium-caliber lethality and offers greater potential against drones and protected ground targets, while Spike LR2 remains a dedicated guided anti-armor weapon for defeating heavily protected vehicles at extended range. For NATO customers, the choice therefore depends on whether the greater priority is anti-tank reach, counter-drone protection, or a tailored combination of both.

Survivability also differs in the publicly disclosed designs. The Australian Redback integrates the Iron Fist active protection system with its weapons and sensors, providing another defensive layer against incoming anti-armor threats. Hanwha has previously demonstrated both Iron Fist and Spike LR2 on the vehicle. The DVD 2026 configuration has not been publicly described with the same complete protection package, so the new British-built turret should be viewed primarily as a weapons, digital-integration and counter-UAS option rather than a direct one-for-one replacement of every element fitted to the Australian Army vehicle.

Australia’s program also illustrates how complex turret integration can become. The Australian National Audit Office reported in March 2026 that integrating the EOS R400 created schedule risk because the remote weapon station also performs the commander’s-sight function and must be tightly connected to the turret’s sensors, electronics, and fire-control systems. That experience makes Hanwha’s ability to reconfigure the Redback with a different British turret strategically important for export campaigns where national requirements may differ substantially from Australia’s LAND 400 configuration.

For Hanwha, the new configuration shows the AS21 Redback can be adapted to NATO armored-vehicle requirements without forcing every customer to adopt the Australian weapons package. Lockheed Martin UK brings experience with the 40 mm CTAS through British armored vehicle programs, while SkyKeeper adds an air-defense command layer intended to connect the turret with broader battlefield sensor networks.

The operational significance goes beyond a larger cannon. Russian-style drone-saturated warfare has shown that armored formations can be located, tracked, and attacked continuously by inexpensive unmanned systems, creating a need for counter-drone weapons that are mobile, networked, and available in greater numbers. Integrating that capability into an infantry fighting vehicle could allow mechanized units to defend themselves while remaining dispersed and maneuverable, rather than concentrating protection in a small number of specialized air-defense vehicles.

The two Redback configurations therefore reflect different approaches to modern armored warfare. Australia’s AS21 Redback combines an MT30 Mk 2-derived turret, 30 mm Mk44S cannon, Spike LR2 missiles, EOS R400 remote weapon station and Iron Fist active protection for layered ground-combat capability. The Lockheed Martin UK version shifts the emphasis toward a 40 mm cannon, SkyKeeper, and networked counter-UAS operations, turning the Redback into a stronger candidate for armies seeking a counter-drone IFV that can operate directly alongside NATO tanks and mechanized infantry.

The planned 2027 demonstrations will be important in showing whether the 40 mm cannon and SkyKeeper can turn external drone detections into rapid, reliable engagements under field conditions. For NATO armies evaluating future AS21 Redback configurations, the central question is no longer simply whether a 30 mm or 40 mm cannon offers greater firepower, but whether an infantry fighting vehicle can now become an active part of the short-range counter-drone network protecting the armored force.

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Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.