Hyundai advances battlefield tech with hydrogen-powered Black Veil

At the World Defense Show 2026 in Riyadh, South Korea’s Hyundai Rotem unveiled its hydrogen-powered Black Veil, an unmanned ground platform designed to demonstrate the battlefield readiness of hydrogen fuel cell technology. The Black Veil highlights hydrogen’s advantages as a low-signature, mission-capable power source that offers reduced noise, lower thermal detectability, and extended operational endurance. Hyundai Rotem is positioning hydrogen propulsion as a practical solution for both unmanned and crewed vehicles, emphasizing its suitability for frontline support roles such as logistics, reconnaissance, and battlefield operations, especially in austere and high-temperature environments. Beyond the Black Veil, Hyundai Rotem showcased additional systems including mock-ups of its K2 Black Panther family, a 30-ton export variant of its wheeled armored vehicle, and the HR-Sherpa equipped with a counter-drone system. This lineup underscores the company’s focus on integrated manned-unmanned teaming, layered air defense, and high-mobility maneuver warfare