South Korea has begun rebuilding its core allied command-and-control architecture, integrating artificial intelligence to strengthen joint military operations with the United States. The initiative focuses on modernizing the Allied Korea Joint Command and Control System (AKJCCS), which serves as the backbone for combined planning and operational coordination on the Korean Peninsula.
The upgrade program is being led by Hanwha Systems, appointed prime contractor in late 2025, with oversight from the Defense Acquisition Program Administration. Scheduled for deployment in 2029, the new AKJCCS will feature AI-enabled data fusion, automated operational recommendations, cloud servers, and virtual desktop infrastructure aimed at reducing decision timelines and improving battlefield clarity.
The enhanced system will also incorporate real-time translation services, advanced teleconferencing tools, and upgraded cyber defenses, allowing US and South Korean forces to collaborate more effectively during joint missions. These capabilities are intended to ensure resilient and secure communications in contested and fast-moving operational environments.
AKJCCS has been operational since 2015 and is directly linked to the US CENTRIXS-K network, acting as the central hub for allied information exchange. The modernization effort supports South Korea’s broader plan to assume wartime operational control by the end of the decade, addressing a critical prerequisite set by Washington: proven command-and-control performance. Upon completion, the upgraded AKJCCS will mark South Korea’s first AI-powered, domestically developed C2 system capable of managing combined wartime operations with greater speed, precision, and autonomy.
