An Army official demonstrates the "keyless Army" project — which uses the Army Mobile Office System (AMOS) and passive near-field communication technology — at a military logistics policy briefing held Friday at the Army Logistics Command in Sejong. [Army]
An Army official demonstrates the "keyless Army" project — which uses the Army Mobile Office System (AMOS) and passive near-field communication technology — at a military logistics policy briefing held Friday at the Army Logistics Command in Sejong. [Army]

A 3D vision camera reads the shape and position of supplies, a palletizing robot picks them up and stacks them on pallets, a collaborative robot unfolds and assembles boxes for packaging, and unmanned forklifts and automated guided vehicles carry the goods to the next stage. The Army's logistics operations, once dependent on manual labor, are being taken over by robots and unmanned equipment.

The Army held a logistics policy briefing Friday at the Army Logistics Command in Sejong, presided over by Maj. Gen. Ha Heon-cheol, chief of the Army Logistics Staff. The event showcased the operations of the 1st Supply Brigade's smart logistics center and included presentations on key supply policies, along with an exhibition of future combat support equipment and materials.

The 1st Supply Brigade's smart logistics center manages the entire supply chain digitally — from receiving and storage to inventory management, sorting and distribution. Robots and unmanned transport equipment are integrated into each stage of the process, automating work that had long relied on manual labor.

In the recognition and loading stage, a 3D vision camera identifies the shape and position of supplies before a palletizing robot picks them up and stacks them on pallets. In the packaging stage, a box-forming collaborative robot unfolds flat boxes into packaging containers, while a separate collaborative robot handles individual item packaging. In the transport stage, unmanned forklifts, automated guided vehicles, and unmanned pallet-and-bucket rail carriers move the packaged and loaded goods to the next point in the process.

The 1st Supply Brigade currently operates a Grade 2 smart logistics center. The Army plans to upgrade all three supply brigades under the Army Logistics Command to Grade 1 smart logistics centers and to introduce an AI- and robot-powered intelligent warehouse management system in phases.

Collaborative robots assemble boxes and package individual items at the smart logistics center operations showcase held Friday at the Army Logistics Command in Sejong. [Army]
Collaborative robots assemble boxes and package individual items at the smart logistics center operations showcase held Friday at the Army Logistics Command in Sejong. [Army]

The briefing was organized to highlight how logistics support for soldiers is changing in daily life and training, and to share the Army's vision for a future supply system that integrates civilian expertise with advanced technologies such as AI and robotics.

The Army outlined seven major supply policies: improving logistics support as experienced by soldiers in daily life; advancing civilian-military cooperation in maintenance, repair and overhaul; building smart logistics and maintenance systems; fielding a mobile logistics support infrastructure; improving firearms and ammunition management; strengthening military disaster response capabilities; and establishing an energy supply system for future battlefields.

The briefing also featured a demonstration of the "keyless Army" initiative, which uses the Army Mobile Office System (AMOS), passive near-field communication technology and biometric authentication to unlock firearms and ammunition storage facilities without physical keys.

The outdoor exhibition area at the smart logistics center displayed a total of 34 items — 10 Warrior Platform items designed to enhance soldiers' survivability and combat effectiveness, and 24 newly fielded combat support equipment and material systems aimed at improving the mobility and efficiency of logistics support.

Four of the 34 items were demonstrated in live operation: the Palletized Load System (PLS), a transport drone, a wearable exoskeleton robot and a mobile microgrid.

The PLS enables rapid loading and unloading of pallet- or container-mounted supplies, boosting the mobility and efficiency of logistics support. The transport drone delivers supplies to mountainous or isolated areas inaccessible by vehicle, while the wearable robot assists soldiers in carrying heavy loads. The mobile microgrid independently generates, stores and supplies power in operational areas.

"This briefing is an opportunity to show, on the ground, where Army logistics policy stands today and where it is headed — from improving soldiers' everyday quality of life to building the smart logistics systems that will sustain operations on the future battlefield," Ha said.

Ha added that the Army would "actively integrate civilian expertise and advanced technologies such as AI and robotics into logistics operations, creating conditions that allow soldiers to focus on training and missions, and ensuring timely logistics support for combat units."

The Army said it will continue to verify the field applicability of its logistics policies and, through cooperation among civilian, industrial, academic and research sectors, develop logistics support that soldiers can feel and a future-oriented smart logistics system.


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