S&T Motiv (Daewoo) K4

History

All modern first-class militaries in the world use some form of automatic grenade launcher (AGL). These are belt-mounted weapons suitable for firefighting jobs and can be attached to defensive positions (fired from heavy tripod assemblies) or mounted on vehicles and boats (by trunnion mounting).

For the Republic of Korea (South Korea) Army, the Daewoo Precision Industry "K4" played this role on the battlefield. It entered service in 1993 and served in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, and was abandoned in the Libyan civil war.

Design work on the K4 was carried out by the Defense Development Agency from 1985 to 1991. The weapon is the result of decisive steps taken by the South Korean Armed Forces to reduce its reliance on foreign military products. As a result, a series of "K"-type weapons have emerged, accommodating the inventory of the modern South Korean army.

Many K weapons are now (2017) produced under the S&T Motiv brand.

In many ways, the Korean K4 mimics the form and function of the established Saco Mk 19 AGL of American origin, which is still widely used around the world. Like the Mk 19, the K4 relies on the tried-and-true 40x53mm shell to deliver good concussion and blast effects on the target area. The internal firing action consists of simple recoil, and is fed by a belt pulled from the hard case - the projectile enters the receiver from the left, and the spent case is ejected to the right. It can reach a rate of fire of nearly 350 rounds per minute, has an effective attack range of up to 1,500 meters, and an impact range of up to 2,200 meters, albeit with reduced accuracy.

Aiming is via a flipped rear panel.

The K4's single-shot under-barrel launcher is shaped as "K201" and is described elsewhere on this site. This more compact weapon empowers standard infantry grenadiers and expands their tactical value on the battlefield.

In addition to South Korea, K4 was purchased by Libya (the first export customer of the product in 2009) and Mexico (the operator in 2011).

Specification

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Changes