South Korea to upgrade missile defense

South Korea on Monday approved a plan to purchase scores of Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missiles from the U.S. for deployment from 2016-2020, the state defense acquisition agency said.During a top defense decision-making meeting presided over by Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin, Seoul endorsed the plan that also includes upgrading the current missile interception system from 2014 through 2020. The upgrading work includes enhancing radars, launchers and control programs.

The government has set aside a budget of between 1.3 trillion won ($1.25 billion) and 1.4 trillion won for the plan aimed at countering North Korea’s persistent missile threats. Seoul plans to purchase the hit-to-kill PAC-3 missiles from the U.S. through a government-to-government foreign military sale method, while the project to upgrade the interception system will be carried out through a competition, which would invite European firms such as MBDA of Germany.

Seoul has been pushing to upgrade its interception system and purchase advanced missile interceptors as it seeks to build its own independent missile defense system, called the Korea Air and Missile Defense.The KAMD is a low-tier, multiple-interception program, which destroys incoming missiles at an altitude of 40-50 km with multiple interceptors. Currently, Seoul has PAC-2 missiles with fragmentation-type warheads, less lethal than the PAC-3, which employs “hit-to-kill” technology.


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Korea Aircraft Industries promotes Devil Killer UAV as maritime weapon

Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) is marketing a small unmanned air vehicle (UAV) which can also be used as a precision munition as a viable maritime capability deployable on board naval vessels.The 'Devil Killer' UAV could previously only be launched from ships with the aid of rocket boosters. However, the company has now introduced a canister containing a compressed air mechanism to provide the initial launch thrust required to enable the system to become airborne. This thrust capability enables the system to be deployed at sea. Once launched, switch blade wings unfold and two electric ducted fans take over the propulsion task for the rest of the flight.

Speaking to IHS Jane's at the Singapore Airshow on 14 February, KAI's senior manager and chief of international marketing Jei Yai Moon said that the company is now marketing the UAV as a munition that feasibly can be deployed at sea as well as being an effective land-launched system."The Devil Killer UAV is ready for production. Unfortunately we do not have a customer yet. We will continue to market it", said Moon.

Described by the company as a "tactical suicide combat UAV", the Devil Killer is designed to loiter above potential targets. The UAV would be guided by an operator onto its designated target using a video data link and would then crash itself onto the target, detonating a 2 kg payload located between its wings.The Devil Killer is 1.5 m long and has a wingspan of 1.3 m. It weighs 25 kg when armed and has demonstrated in-flight top speeds of 400 km/h. It has a maximum range of 40 km.

South Korean Choppers to Be Armed with Israeli Missiles

More Israeli-made Spike missiles with the maximum range of 25 km will be installed in maritime helicopters ready for deployment next year.Several Spike missiles are already installed on vehicles defending the northwesternmost islands.But the new lot will be mounted on Wildcat maritime choppers to be purchased over the next two years, an official with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration said Friday. "We've recently struck a deal with the Israeli manufacturer of the missile."

The Spike missile is allegedly capable of hitting a window-size target 25 km away guided by infrared. An officer said the missile can hit the North's coastal artillery as well as its high-speed boats or hovercraft if they launch surprise landings on South Korean territory.A total of eight Wildcat helicopters will be procured, each of which can carry four Spike missiles. The missiles cost about W300 million (US$1=W1,056) each, approximately 100 times the price of a shell for the K-9 self-propelled howitzer. 

South Korea to Field Hybrid Version of the BiHO VSHORAD Vehicle in 2015

South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced Friday, December 27, 2013, that it has completed development of a hybrid variant of the self propelled air defense gun carrier K30 Bi-Ho (flying tiger in Korean) integrated with indigenously developed Shingung guided missiles. Both elements are based on indigenous technology.

The new hybrid system uses the vehicle’s target acquisition systems and Shingung surface-to-air missile to extend the system’s effective range from less than 3 km (guns only) to 7 km (missiles). As a ‘Very Short Range Air Defense System’ (VSHORAD), the hybrid Bi-HO will be able to effectively engage targets flying at very low altitude, such as helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). The system mounts two missile pods, each containing two missiles. Each pod can engage a different target, DAPA said. Over 300 K30 have been deployed with the Korean Army since 1999. According to the agency the hyprid variant entered development in 2010 and is expected to enter production in 2014 and be ready for fielding as new systems or an upgrade by 2015.

K30 Bi-HO integrates specific modules from a number of local manufacturers, including Doosan Defense Systems & Technology contributing the K200 armored personnel carrier chassis and and system integration, LIG Nex1 delivering the TPS-830K low-level target acquisition radar and Shingung missiles. Samsung Thales is providing the EO sensors comprising the FLIR system and laser rangefinder acting as a secondary target acquisition system, supplementing the radar to provide a passive target acquisition mode, where the air defense system remains passive until the missile is launched.

The modification includes mounting two Shingung missile pods on each side of the turret, to accomodate the heavier load the turret drive and power supply are uprated, and modifications to the existing fire control system are installed to handle target acquisition for the ‘fire and forget’ Shingung missile.

Navy patrol boat under construction sinks at shipyard

A moored Navy guided missile patrol boat under construction sank at a shipyard due to strong winds, the shipbuilder said Monday.

Sources said the 430-ton Gumdoksuri Class patrol killer guided missile (PKG) boat started sinking at around 3 a.m. as it was pounded by strong winds and waves. The boat, armed with 76 millimeter guns, was one of 24 being built to replace smaller Chamsuri Class patrol boats serving in the Navy.

The name of the shipyard on the southern coast was not revealed, although the builder confirmed that roughly 60 percent of the work, including the engines, were on board at the time of the accident.

South Korea displayed for the first time its new Hyunmu-3 cruise missile at military parade

South Korea displayed its new longest-range missile Hyunmu-3 capable of striking all of North Korea and other sophisticated weapons at a massive military ceremony Tuesday, October 1, 2013, a display of force meant to show Pyongyang that any provocation would be met with strong retaliation.

South Korea plans to purchase US weapons worth $1b

Seoul has notified Washington of its intention to purchase weapons systems worth US$800 million (S$1 billion) to be mounted on its new fleet of warplanes should a US fighter be picked for its 8.3-trillion-won ($7.4 billion) acquisition project.

The Defence Security Cooperation Agency, which handles Washington's foreign military sales, revealed Seoul's request to buy high-tech arms such as Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles, GBU-12 laser-guided bombs and GBU-39 bunker busters.
Last month, Seoul made a separate request to purchase Lockheed Martin's F-35 stealth fighter or Boeing's F-15 Silent Eagle.

The Eurofighter Typhoon of the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company is another candidate in the competition, through which Seoul seeks to purchase 60 jets to replace its aging F-4 and F-5 jets. The winner is expected to be announced next month.
Observers said the US products would be at an advantage in the contest given Seoul considers interoperability with US forces and alliance-related factors. But EADS has made attractive offers, such as investing $2 billion in Korea's project to develop indigenous fighters.

Republic of Korea Navy commissions First of Class "Incheon" FFX I Frigate

Republic of Korea Navy commissioned on 17 January 2013 the first of its next next generation FFX I class Frigate. The ship was by Hyundai Heavy Industry and is expected to replace the aging fleet of Pohang class corvettes and Ulsan class frigates, and take over multi-role operations such as coast patrol or anti-submarine warfare.

The class will be built in several batches. Six vessels will be built as Batch I (similar to head of class Incheon), eight Frigates will be built as Batch II by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, and Batch III is also planned for the future.

Batch I vessels are reported to displace 2,500 tons with a length of 114 meters and a beam of 14 meters. The main gun is 127mm similar type to those used by the US Navy. For defense, the Incheon is fitted with a RIM-116 RAM launcher as well as a Phalanx CIWS. The class is also fitted with four SSM-700K Hae Sung I anti-ship missiles.

It is expected that Batch II vessels will receive VLS cells for long range SAMs and the locally built Hyunmoo-3 land attack cruise missile. No design specifics have been released yet however, regarding Batch II vessels.

South Korea special forces training

Photos of South Korean Aegis-equipped destroyer

US Navy's Adm. Roughead with his South Korean counterpart. What a great leader Adm. Roughead...I am a great fan of his