K311 cargo truck

The K311 is a 4x4 multipurpose 1 1/4–ton class cargo truck developed for the Republic of Korea Armed Forces, and was introduced in 1980. It is commonly known as 4-5 (5/4) ton (4-5 톤) or military Dodge (군용 닷지), because it replaced and had similar appearance with Dodge M37. It is a modernized version of the American Kaiser Jeep M715 truck, which was also designed with an intention to replace the M37 truck.^{[note 1]}

K311 cargo truck
Philippine Army KM450
Type	1 1/4–ton cargo truck
Place of origin	South Korea
Service history
In service	K311: 1980–present K311A1: 2003–present
Used by	See Operators
Wars	Iraq War Moro conflict New People's Army rebellion Civil conflict in the Philippines Mali War Russo-Ukrainian War 2023 Nigerien coup d'état 2023 Nigerien crisis
Production history
Designed	1980
Manufacturer	Asia Motors (1980–1999) Kia Motors (1999–present) MIC Sudan Bogdan Corporation (2015–2021) Wad Youngsan Industries (2016–present)
Unit cost	60 million KRW (2016)[1]
Produced	K311 (1980–2003) K311A1 (2003–present)
Specifications
Mass	3,150 kg (curb)
Length	5.46 m
Width	2.18 m
Height	2.45 m
Crew	2 + 12 passengers
Engine	K311: Kia/Mazda ZB 6-cylinder water-cooled diesel engine 115 hp K311A1: Hyundai/Mitsubishi Fuso D4DA in-line 4-cylinder diesel engine 130 hp @ 2,900 rpm KM450: Hyundai/Mitsubishi Fuso D4DA/D4DD in-line 4-cylinder diesel engine 130/139 hp @ 2,900 rpm
Payload capacity	K311: 1,150 kg K311A1: 1,530 kg (paved) or 1,330 kg (unpaved) KM450: 2,500 kg (paved)
Transmission	5-speed manual & 2-speed part time transfer case
Ground clearance	longitudinal slope: 60 % lateral slope: 30 % ground clearance: 0.254 m fording: 0.76 m
Operational range	K311: 450 km K311A1: 700 km KM450: 750 km
Maximum speed	K311: 96 km/h K311A1: 100 km/h KM450: 104 km/h
References	Kia Corp[2][3][4] K311A1 is the specification from 2003, and KM450 is an updated specification from unknown year.

The truck was produced by Asia Motors until Hyundai merged the company with Kia Motors in 1999.^{[note 2][5][6]} The KM450 is an export name designated by Kia Motors, and the name is used widely outside of South Korea for both old and new variants.

General Characteristics

K311A1

In June 2000, Kia Motors signed a deal with Turkish company, and began product improvement program (PIP) on K131, K311, and K511 series. The export plan was cancelled due to 2001 Turkish economic crisis; nonetheless, Kia Motors, which has already spent a lot of money, decided that it could not stop the project, and invested a total of 10.43 billion KRW to finish the program by April 2003.^[7]

To distinguish K311 and K311A1, check the number of front windshields (two: K311 or one: A1), the number of wipers (two: K311 or three: A1), tire thickness (wider: A1), engine (V6: K311 or V4: A1), and bullbar design.

K311A2

The K311A2 is a second upgrade variant of the K311 first revealed at DX Korea 2018. It has a hardtop roof on driving section, air conditioner, and navigation system as a default.^[8] The vehicle is unlikely to be adopted by South Korea as K311s are being replaced with K151 series.

Variants

Philippine Army KM451 Ambulance

• K311 (KM450) Cargo Truck: Introduced in 1980.^[6][9]
  • K311A1 (KM450) Cargo Truck: Upgraded variant. Introduced in 2003.^[6][9]
  • K311A1 (KM450) Chassis^[10]
  • K311A1 (KM454) Shelter Cargo
• K312 (KM451) Ambulance: Introduced in 1982. All were converted to K311 cargo truck after replacing with K312A1 by 2014, 5 years ahead the schedule.^[11][9]
  • K312A1 (KM451) Ambulance: Upgraded variant. Introduced in 2005. It has an air conditioning system, 22 additional kits, and other life support items.^{[11][9][12][13]}
• K313 (KM452) Shop Van: Introduced in 1985.^[14][9]
  • K313A1 (KM452) Shop Van: Upgraded variant. Introduced in 2007.^[14][9]
• K314 Communication Equipment Installation Vehicle^[15]
• K315 Cipher Vehicle^[15]
• K316 (KM453) NBC Reconnaissance: Introduced in 1996.^[9][16]
• K317 Biological Reconnaissance: Introduced in 2002. Developed to prepare for possible biological terrorism during the 2002 FIFA World Cup.^[9][17]
• K319 Bulletproof Truck: Introduced in 2004. Developed for use by the Zaytun Division during the Iraq War.^[9][18]

Other variations with unknown/no given model number^[19]

• 1¼ ton Cargo Truck - RHD
• Artillery Commanding Vehicle
• Cargo Truck - Generator
• Communication Shelter Mounted Vehicle
• Electronic Weather Monitor Mounted Vehicle
• Field Catering Truck
• Military Caravan
• Smoke Generator Mounted Vehicle

Daewoo K4 automatic grenade launcher mounted on the K311

List of guns or other systems mounted on the truck

• 70 mm MLRS (prototype)
• CS/LM5 rotary gun
• DShK heavy machine gun
• K-1450-06 command post
• K4 automatic grenade launcher
• KP-SAM MANPADS
• KPV heavy machine gun
• Liberator Elevated Tactics System
• M2 Browning heavy machine gun
• Mk 19 grenade launcher^[20]
• Taka-1 MLRS^[21][22]
• Taka-2 MLRS
• ZPU anti-aircraft gun
• ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft autocannon

Foreign variants

Ukrainian Bogdan Bars-6 built on KM450 chassis

• SarSar-1: Sudanese armored reconnaissance vehicle based on the KM450 chassis.^[23]
• SarSar-2: Sudanese armored reconnaissance vehicle based on the KM450 chassis.^[24][23]
• Bogdan Bars-6: Ukrainian armored utility vehicle based on KM450 chassis.^[25]

Operational history

Operators

Bruneian KM450

 Benin

• Operated since 2018.^[26]

 Botswana

• Received KM450 in 2018.^[27]

 Brunei

• Received KM450 in 2018.^[28]

 Cambodia

• South Korea donated 50 K311s in 2012.^[29] Another batch of unspecified number of K311s was donated in 2017.^[30][31]

 Central African Republic^[32]

 Chile

• Used by Chilean Marine Corps.^[33][34][1]

 Colombia

• Uses K311s.^[1]

 Mali

• Local assembly by Korean-Malian joint company Wad Youngsan Industries S.A. in Banankoro since 2016.^[35]

 Mongolia

• South Korea donated 13 K311s in 2012 along with other equipment to support Mongolian UN PKO missions in Afghanistan and Sudan.^[36][37][38]

 Niger

• Operated since at least 2019.^[39] Acquired 100 vehicles in July 2022.^[40] Acquired 100 vehicles in January 2023.^[41][42] Purchased 100 vehicles for Nigerien special forces in March 2023.^[43]

 Philippines: Received 1,368 KM450s, 120 KM451s, 157 K311s, and unknown number of KM452s.

• 651 KM450s purchased in 2007.^[44] South Korea donated 157 K311s in 2010.^[45] 60 KM451s purchased in 2012.^[46][47] 717 KM450s purchased in 2015.^[48][49] 60 KM451s were added in 2016.^[50] Some retired K311s were offered to civilian market.

 Saudi Arabia^{[51][better source needed]}

 Senegal

• Received in 2024.^[52]

 South Korea

• Operates more than 10,000 vehicles as of 2016.^[1]

 South Sudan

 Sudan

• Local production by the Military Industry Corporation (MIC) of Sudan.^[1]

 Thailand

• Royal Thai Army^[53]

 Ukraine

• The KM450 chassis was used for manufacturing Bogdan Bars-6 armored vehicle since 2015. In 2021, the chassis was selected to replace R-125 KshM, which is a command vehicle variant based on the UAZ-3151. It was produced by Bogdan Motors to supply to Telekart-Prylad for installing K-1450-06 KshM on the truck. However, Bogdan Motors filed bankruptcy in same year. 20 chassis were purchased at the auction by the charity created by Serhiy Prytula, and were donated for military use.^{[54][55][56][57]}

Non-state operators

Coordination of Azawad Movements

• Captured from Mali.^[58]

Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS)

• Captured from Mali.^[59]

Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM)

• All vehicles were captured from Malian military inventory. The first 5 vehicles were captured in January 2018,^[60] and these vehicles were used for attacks on Malian military that lead to additional capture or destruction of Malian owned vehicles.^[61][62][63]

Wagner Group

• Provided by Mali.

Houthi

• Captured from Yemeni Army.

See also

• Dodge M37
• Kaiser Jeep M715

Notes

1. It is unclear what kind of contracts were made due to lack of sources. There is a possibility that the U.S. government provided the blueprint for free to South Korea to keep the supplies manufactured, similar way the U.S. did to other military gears that are no longer produced in the U.S. but used by South Korea.
2. Kia Group acquired Asia Motors in 1976. Later, both Asia Motors and Kia Motors were owned by Hyundai in 1998.

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