KICT tapped as DAPA specialized research body to upgrade defense infrastructure

AI and advanced construction technology are set to be deployed in earnest to strengthen the protection capabilities of military facilities and upgrade defense infrastructure.

The Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology announced Monday that the Defense Acquisition Program Administration has newly designated it as a specialized research institution to support research, development and testing of defense industry materials.

With the designation, the institute will apply to the defense sector the research capabilities it has built up in structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, smart construction, energy and geospatial information.

It plans to focus particularly on advancing military facility research and development to support the stable operation of weapons systems and the continuity of military operations.

Key research areas include protection and blast-resistance technology, modularization of military facilities, smart construction and digital facility management, and AI-based construction and management technology for military facilities.

The institute's large-scale advanced research infrastructure will also be actively deployed for defense research and development.

In particular, it plans to use its large structural testing facility to verify the core performance of military installations and expand testing and demonstration research. The institute has prior experience successfully supporting performance tests for a tactical bridge system development project.

Building on this, the institute aims to establish a defense construction research and development framework covering the entire lifecycle of military facilities — from planning and construction through operation and maintenance.

The institute intends to integrate construction and facility technology into the existing weapons-system-centered defense research and development model to improve the performance and operational efficiency of military facilities. It will also strengthen cooperation with DAPA, the Defense Ministry, the individual military branches, and industry, academic and research partners.

DAPA's specialized research institution designation is a system under which the DAPA administrator formally appoints institutions that have been comprehensively vetted for the research facilities, technical capabilities and security requirements needed for defense research, development, testing and measurement.

"This designation as a specialized research institution is an opportunity for the institute to put its accumulated technical expertise and research infrastructure to full use in the defense sector," institute President Park Seon-gyu said. "We will strengthen our military facility research and development capabilities to support the stable operation of weapons systems and operational continuity, and make a tangible contribution to enhancing the nation's defense capabilities."