SEOUL, Jan. 14 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea has kicked off the development of a new homegrown missile system designed to intercept targets at higher altitudes, the state arms procurement agency said Tuesday, as the country seeks to bolster its air defense capabilities against North Korean threats.
A meeting to discuss the development of the long-range surface-to-air-missile (L-SAM) II system took place at the Agency for Defense Development in Daejeon, some 140 kilometers south of Seoul, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said.
On the back of enhanced capabilities to intercept incoming missiles at higher altitudes, the envisioned L-SAM system is expected to expand the scope of missile defense coverage by three to four times compared with the existing L-SAM system, according to DAPA.
The 567.7 billion-won (US$388 million) project is expected to be completed by 2028.
The L-SAM is designed to play a central role in the country’s multilayered missile shield, called the Korea Air and Missile Defense (KAMD).
KAMD is a pillar of the country’s three-axis deterrence structure that also includes the Kill Chain preemptive strike platform and the Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation system.
South Korea completed the development of the first block of the L-SAM system in November last year and plans to begin serial production this year.
(Yonhap)