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 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]
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]
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]
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.
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]
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]
^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.
^Kia Group acquired Asia Motors in 1976. Later, both Asia Motors and Kia Motors were owned by Hyundai in 1998.
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