KICT appointed as DAPA specialized research institution; military facility R&D ramps up

[Financial News] Construction technologies developed by government-funded research institutes are set to be deployed in military facility research and development (R&D) in earnest. The Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT) has been newly named a specialized research institution of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), expanding its defense research into areas including force protection and blast resistance, facility modularization, and AI-based construction and management. Its testing infrastructure, including a large-scale structural testing facility, will be used to verify and demonstrate the performance of military facilities.
According to KICT on the 12th, the institute has been newly designated as a DAPA specialized research institution supporting the research, development and testing of defense materiel. The DAPA commissioner selects institutions capable of handling defense R&D, testing and measurement after comprehensively assessing their research facilities, technological capabilities and security requirements, and appoints them as specialized research institutions.
The area expected to see expanded use first is testing infrastructure. KICT will use its large-scale advanced facilities, including a structural testing facility that successfully supported performance tests for a tactical bridge system development project, to assess key performance requirements for military facilities. It also plans to expand testing and demonstration research.
The scope of research will also expand. KICT will bring its accumulated expertise in structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, smart construction, energy and geospatial information to the defense sector. Areas of focus include force protection and blast resistance, the modularization of military facilities, smart construction and digital facility management, and AI-based technologies for building and managing military facilities. The aim is to respond quickly to the rapidly changing defense environment while improving both the performance and operational efficiency of military facilities. KICT said the designation also gives it a foundation for advancing military facility R&D that supports the operational efficiency of weapons systems and the continuity of operational missions.
In the long term, the plan is to establish a defense construction R&D system that addresses the planning, construction, operation and maintenance of military facilities as an integrated process linked to weapons systems. The idea is that incorporating construction and facilities technologies into defense R&D, which has traditionally focused on weapons systems, can enhance operational continuity. To that end, KICT will strengthen cooperation with DAPA, the Ministry of National Defense and each branch of the armed forces, as well as with industry, academia and research institutions.
DAPA specialized research institutions include the Agency for Defense Development (ADD), the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) and Seoul National University. As of early last year, there were reportedly around 30 such institutions. Oversight continues after appointment. Hansung University's Defense M&S Accreditation Technology Research Institute was reappointed last January after passing DAPA's regular evaluation, which included security assessments and written and on-site reviews.
Institute President Park Sun-kyu emphasized, “This appointment as a DAPA specialized research institution is significant because it creates an opportunity to put KICT’s accumulated technological expertise and research infrastructure to full use in the defense sector. Going forward, we will strengthen our capabilities in military facility R&D to support the stable operation of weapons systems and operational continuity, and work closely with the military to make a tangible contribution to strengthening the nation’s defense capabilities.”

[email protected] Jeong Gyeong-su Reporter