South Korean arms maker LIG Nex1 has announced that it has delivered the first battery of the Cheongung II medium-range surface-to-air missile systems to the Republic of Korea Air Force.
According to a company news release, the South Korean Air Force has taken delivered the first Cheongung II (Block-II) missile defense system on 26 November.
The Cheongung II, also known as KM-SAM, is a mid-range surface-to-air guided missile that can respond effectively to mid/high altitude aerial threats. It has a stated maximum range of 50km with an altitude of 20km.
South Korean officials reported that a new missile defense system designed to replace aging MIM-23 HAWK (Cheolmae) air defense systems. In comparison with HAWK, the Cheongung is more suited for electronic warfare and shows higher accuracy. Preparation time is short and its single radar can attack multiple targets at once, requiring only a small number of people for operation.
