Saudi Arabia signs $3.2B deal for South Korean air defense systems

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — South Korea will export air defense systems to Saudi Arabia as part of a $3.2 billion deal signed in November, but only revealed this week by the former’s Defense Ministry.

The announcement comes as Saudi Arabia hosts the World Defense Show, running Feb. 4-8, during which the two countries inked a memorandum of understanding to bolster defense cooperation.

The ministry noted the sale of 10 KM-SAM Block II medium-range surface-to-air missile systems represents another major export deal . Korea sold the weapon to the United Arab Emirates in a $3.5 billion deal signed in January 2022.

Defense News has learned that, as of late 2023, KM-SAM deliveries to the UAE had not begun because Hanwha Systems was still developing the more capable Block III active electronically scanned array radar.

LIG Nex1 produces KM-SAM Block II batteries, while Hanwha Systems provides the radar and Hanwha Aerospace supplies launcher vehicles. The weapon can intercept both aircraft and missiles, the latter being particularly important as Saudi Arabia routinely shoots down ballistic missiles fired by Houthi rebels in Yemen.

“By a series of foreign arms sales, including this recent export of KM-SAMs to the Saudis, Korea’s defense industry has won international attention in the global arms market for two points: the level of technical qualification and industrial capacity,” Kim Jae Yeop, a senior researcher at the Sungkyun Institute for Global Strategy in Seoul, told Defense News.

“Defense cooperation between Seoul and Arab states is likely to accelerate in the arms trade agenda. As a number of countries in the region, including Saudi Arabia, face growing military threats from the Iranian-backed Houthi militant group in Yemen, Korea can take on a role of reliable supplier of weapon systems to deal with the challenge,” Kim added.

In 2017, Saudi Arabia bought Korean-made Raybolt man-portable, anti-tank missiles. And in March 2022, the kingdom reportedly purchased Korean-made K239 Chunmoo multiple rocket launcher, electro-optical systems and ammunition. When visiting Hanwha vehicle production facilities last October, Defense News observed numerous sand-colored Chunmoo systems.

Representatives of South Korea and Saudi Arabia sign a defense cooperation agreement in Riyadh on Feb. 4, 2024. (South Korea Defense Ministry)

The new memorandum of understanding is expected to strengthen bilateral defense cooperation. Witnessed by their respective defense ministers, the document called for a joint committee “to further develop the defense industry and defense technology cooperation between the two countries in the mid to long term, and ... conduct research and development in necessary areas such as joint research and development and production of weapon systems,” according to a news release from South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration.

Eom Dong-hwan, the head of DAPA, said Russia’s war in Ukraine has exposed limitations to Western defense-industrial capacity, whereas South Korea has proved “its own capacity to provide major weapon systems in a timely manner.”

“This is expected to strengthen Korea’s status as an emerging arms supplier in the global arms industry,” the director added, referring to the recent agreement.

Gordon Arthur is an Asia correspondent for Defense News. After a 20-year stint working in Hong Kong, he now resides in New Zealand. He has attended military exercises and defense exhibitions in about 20 countries around the Asia-Pacific region.

新西兰基督城——韩国将向沙特阿拉伯出口防空系统，这是去年11月签署的一项价值32亿美元的协议的一部分，但韩国国防部直到本周才透露此事。

沙特阿拉伯正在主办2月4日至8日举行的世界防务展，两国在展会期间签署了一份谅解备忘录，以加强防务合作。

韩国国防部指出，此次出售10套KM-SAM Block II中程地对空导弹系统是又一笔重大出口交易。韩国于2022年1月签署了一项价值35亿美元的协议，向阿联酋出售了该型武器。

《防务新闻》获悉，截至 2023 年底，KM-SAM 向阿联酋的交付尚未开始，因为韩华系统公司仍在开发性能更强大的 Block III 型有源电子扫描阵列雷达。

LIG Nex1公司生产KM-SAM Block II导弹系统，韩华系统公司提供雷达，韩华航天公司提供发射车。该武器能够拦截飞机和导弹，后者尤为重要，因为沙特阿拉伯经常击落也门胡塞武装发射的弹道导弹。

“通过一系列对外军售，包括最近向沙特阿拉伯出口KM-SAM导弹，韩国国防工业在全球武器市场上赢得了国际关注，主要体现在两方面：技术水平和工业能力，”首尔成均全球战略研究院高级研究员金在烨告诉《防务新闻》。

金补充道：“首尔与阿拉伯国家在武器贸易领域的防务合作可能会加速。包括沙特阿拉伯在内的该地区多个国家正面临来自也门胡塞武装（伊朗支持）日益增长的军事威胁，韩国可以扮演可靠武器系统供应商的角色，应对这一挑战。”

2017年，沙特阿拉伯购买了韩国制造的“雷博尔特”（Raybolt）便携式反坦克导弹。据报道，2022年3月，沙特又购买了韩国制造的K239“天武”（Chunmoo）多管火箭炮、光电系统和弹药。去年10月，《防务新闻》记者在参观韩华汽车生产设施时，发现了大量沙色的“天武”系统。

2024年2月4日，韩国和沙特阿拉伯代表在利雅得签署防务合作协议。（韩国国防部）

新的谅解备忘录有望加强双边防务合作。据韩国国防采办计划管理局发布的新闻稿称，该文件由两国国防部长见证签署，呼吁成立联合委员会，“以进一步发展两国在中长期内的国防工业和国防技术合作，并……在武器系统联合研发和生产等必要领域开展研发工作”。

韩国国防采办计划管理局局长严东焕表示，俄罗斯在乌克兰的战争暴露了西方国防工业能力的局限性，而韩国则证明了“自己有能力及时提供主要武器系统”。

“预计这将加强韩国作为全球军火工业新兴武器供应国的地位，”该负责人补充道，他指的是最近达成的协议。

戈登·阿瑟是《防务新闻》的亚洲特派记者。在香港工作20年后，他现居新西兰。他曾到访亚太地区约20个国家，参加过军事演习和防务展览。