The Close-In Weapons System (CIWS-II) (Image courtesy of LIG Nex1)
SEOUL, Jan. 20 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) is planning to develop a land-based version of its advanced Close-In Weapons System (CIWS-II), transforming a naval defense technology into a crucial last line of defense against North Korean artillery and drones.
The system, which can fire thousands of rounds per minute to intercept incoming missiles that have penetrated other air defense systems, is being adapted from its maritime version currently under development, according to Rep. Yoo Yong-won of the People Power Party, citing DAPA sources on January 19.
The naval CIWS-II, scheduled for completion by 2027, features an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar and a 30mm gun system, offering improved range and response time compared to its predecessor. Known as the “goalkeeper” for its role as the last line of defense, the system is currently deployed on naval destroyers.
The land-based adaptation is expected to counter various North Korean threats, including long-range artillery, close-range ballistic missiles (CRBM), super-large multiple rocket launchers, short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM), and low-flying cruise missiles. It would also provide defense against unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), addressing a capability gap exposed when North Korean drones penetrated Seoul’s airspace in late 2022.
During that drone incursion, existing ground-based air defense systems, including the Biho hybrid system, proved inadequate due to limited detection and tracking capabilities. The new land-based CIWS is expected to offer superior detection and tracking capabilities through its AESA radar and electro-optical tracking equipment.
Military planners are considering cost-saving modifications for the land version, including replacing the naval system’s four-sided fixed AESA radar with a single-faced rotating radar, as ground installations primarily need to monitor threats from the north.
The system may also incorporate Advanced Hit Efficiency And Destruction (AHEAD) ammunition, currently under development, which explodes near targets and disperses fragments, making it particularly effective against drones and artillery shells.
“North Korea has recently unveiled new kamikaze drones and continues to threaten Seoul and the metropolitan area with missiles and long-range artillery,” Yoo said. “As the threat of mass drone swarm and missile attacks becomes more real, we need to deploy the ground-based CIWS as the final shield for protecting the capital region.”
The development follows a similar path taken by the United States, which adapted its naval Phalanx CIWS into the land-based Counter-Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar (C-RAM) system.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
