The Army plans to test-run a prototype of the newly developed Redback armored vehicle next year to check its performance for a possible deployment in the future, officials said Thursday.

The new model, developed by Hanwha Defense Co., a South Korean defense manufacturer, is now under review by Australia after being shortlisted for Canberra's $4.6 billion project to buy new infantry fighting vehicles. Australia will select the successful bidder by next year.

According to Hanwha, it plans to lend one of the three prototypes to the Korean Army for a three-month test operation starting in April 2022, after Australia sends them back to Seoul once it completes the evaluation process.

"The Army is expected to be able to check key technologies and performances of the advanced armored vehicle, and see if the item, or its core technologies, can be adopted when it pushes to acquire next-generation fighting vehicles down the road," the company said in a release.

The 40-ton Redback is capable of carrying 11 people -- three crew and eight foot soldiers -- with a maximum speed of 65 kph. Equipped with the active protection system (APS) of Iron Fist by Israel, the Redback is capable of detecting and defeating threats with interceptors, according to the company.

It also secures advanced protection capabilities against land mines and bomb attacks but still weighs less than other armored cars thanks to cutting-edge technologies, it added. (Yonhap)