South Korea’s state-funded arms procurement agency confirmed that country is ready to start production of a new long-range missile defense radar.
A new multi-function radar (MFR) develop for a long-range surface-to-air missile (L-SAM) interception system.
The radar is a core component of the L-SAM system the country seeks to deploy by 2026 as part of its multilayered, low-tier missile defense program. The L-SAM is designed to shoot down incoming missiles at altitudes of around 50 to 60 kilometers.
Led by the state-run Agency for Defense Development, the L-SAM project involves a series of local defense firms, including LIG Nex1 in charge of the missile development.
On Wednesday, the country finished the detailed designing of the radar, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA). It plans to complete the development of the radar in January 2025 and start replacing the existing systems with the new ones in 2027.
The new radar under development will have 20 percent better detection capabilities than existing systems, DAPA said.
