Army unveils AI-robot future combat drills, eyes full manned-unmanned transition by 2040

The Army has unveiled its vision for future combat operations that integrate AI, robots and unmanned systems with existing forces. The service plans to deploy unmanned systems ahead of troops to reduce risk and use data gathered at military training grounds to support civilian technology development as it pursues a full manned-unmanned combined force transition.

The Army held its "Army TIGER+ Future Combat Integrated Training" exercise at the Yangpyeong Training Ground in Gyeonggi Province on Thursday.

The event was organized to share the blueprint and key policies for the future Army of 2040 and to demonstrate, through live training, combat concepts incorporating advanced technologies such as defense robots and physical AI.

Army personnel, government ministry officials, and representatives from industry, academia and research institutions attended. The program included policy briefings, AI visualization based on digital twin technology, future combat demonstrations, and an exhibition and live showcase of advanced equipment.

The future combat demonstrations were divided into three segments: drone and counter-drone warfare, integrated unmanned combat, and manned-unmanned combined operations. In the drone and counter-drone segment, enemy drones were detected and identified at long range, with an AI-based decision-support system used to respond according to threat level. The exercise also showed laser air-defense weapons and capture drones neutralizing hostile drones.

In the integrated unmanned combat segment, smoke drones and multipurpose unmanned ground vehicles were deployed ahead of troops to scout enemy threats and overcome "drone kill zones." The manned-unmanned combined operations segment used unmanned reconnaissance vehicles and the Korean Combat Engineer Vehicle (K-CEV) to clear obstacles and hazardous areas before manned forces moved in to secure objectives.

Through this approach, the Army aims to reduce combat personnel's exposure to danger while improving combat efficiency and survivability. It is developing concepts for the integrated operation of drones and robots — and for collaboration between troops and unmanned systems — through integrated unmanned combat units and manned-unmanned combined squads.

The Army is also pursuing the construction of a "digital backbone" to connect all advanced assets on a single network. It plans to roll out the system in stages — from small units up to large formations — building a combat architecture in which sensors, data and an AI-based command decision-support system operate in tandem.

The Army also outlined the direction of Army TIGER+ in connection with the government's three mega-projects covering semiconductors, robots and physical AI, and AI data centers. The concept envisions intelligent robots and unmanned systems carrying out missions in real operational environments, with the data generated fed back into AI training and technology advancement.

The Army sees itself as both a large-scale user of robots and physical AI across combat, security and patrol, and logistics support, and as a supplier of real operational data. The plan calls for accumulating data through repeated training and equipment operations across varied terrain — mountains, urban areas and coastlines — and under different weather conditions, enabling private companies to use that data to improve the reliability and maturity of their technologies.

To that end, the Army will pursue "Transformation in Contact" — field-based innovation that tests advanced technologies and new combat concepts on the ground. It plans to expand Army TIGER+ pilot units to 14 types and accelerate the adoption of civilian innovations by linking them to government ministry research, development and demonstration projects.

The Army will also build a defense robot and physical AI demonstration environment linking the Pangyo AI transformation hub with the Yangpyeong and Mugeol-ri training grounds. Data obtained during actual operations will be recycled for AI training and technology improvement, and the Army will pursue regulatory reforms to connect field-validated technologies to identified military requirements and force development.

The Army said it will expand cooperation with related ministries — including the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Ministry of Science and ICT, and the Ministry of SMEs and Startups — as well as with industry, academia and research institutions. It also plans to expand dedicated demonstration units and operate innovation labs at individual units to realize its policy of training 500,000 drone warriors.

A total of 85 types of equipment were on display at Thursday's exhibition and demonstration, including systems from advanced technology demonstration projects conducted with government ministries and private companies, as well as prototype equipment being developed for military fielding.

The Army said it will incorporate lessons identified during the exercise and feedback from the field into future combat concepts and demonstration plans, and will expand cooperation with related ministries, industry, academia and research institutions to accelerate the early realization of Army TIGER+.

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Kim Gyu-ha said the transformation toward the future Army of 2040 must be backed by the conviction and participation of Army personnel and the understanding and support of the public. "I hope that through the Army TIGER+ combat demonstrations and policy briefings, broader empathy and trust in the direction the Army is heading will take root, and that the momentum for innovation will come together," he said.