South Korea seeks to develop missile defense against N. Korea’s artillery barrage

LIG Nex1, a South Korean precision missile developer, displayed this week a mock-up of a low-altitude missile defense system.

The LAMD concept model was displayed at the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition 2021 at an air base in Seongnam, south of Seoul. The LAMD consists of a missile launcher, a command post and a multifunctional radar.

LIG Nex1 displayed a missile that is expected to be modified from the company’s Korean Surface-to-Air Anti-Missile, or K-SAAM, co-developed by the Agency for Defense Development.

An LIG Nex1 official said the missile is to be fitted with an active radar seeker for terminal guidance and capable of intercepting targets up to 7 kilometers away at a maximum altitude of 5 kilometers. The launcher has 16 launch containers in a 4x4 arrangement and is expected to be mounted on a semi-trailer.

“LIG Nex1 has developed and produced a wide range of defense systems for air defense, surveillance, command-and-control, communications, and electronic warfare,” the company said in a press release. “Taking advantage of accumulated technologies and knowhow on systems integration, engagement control, precise tracking and others, we will contribute to developing a state-of-the-art missile interceptor to defend against North Korea’s growing threats of artillery pieces.”

The LAMD is part of South Korea’s efforts to build an advanced layered air defense network that includes land- and ship-based missile defense systems. The LAMD is focused on neutralizing incoming artillery rockets from the North to defend the Seoul metropolitan area in the South, as the North Korean military is believed to have deployed hundreds of long-range artillery pieces along the Military Demarcation Line.

The South Korean military was considering buying the Israeli Iron Dome, but changed its mind given the Israeli air defense system was developed to deter mortar shells, which is less powerful than artillery rockets and short-range ballistic missiles fired by the North.

The request for proposal for the LAMD system is to be issued next year, with a goal to deploy the air defense systems in the early 2030s.

Besides LIG Nex1, Hanwha Systems is expected to compete for the $2.4 billion acquisition program by offering its long-range surface-to-air radar and other sensor systems.

Brian Kim was a South Korea correspondent for Defense News.

韩国精确导弹开发商 LIG Nex1 本周展示了一款低空导弹防御系统的模型。

LAMD概念模型在2021年首尔国际航空航天与国防展览会上展出，展出地点位于首尔以南城南市的一个空军基地。LAMD由导弹发射装置、指挥所和多功能雷达组成。

LIG Nex1 展示了一款导弹，预计该导弹将由该公司与韩国国防发展局共同开发的韩国地对空反导弹（K-SAAM）改进而来。

LIG Nex1公司的一位官员表示，该导弹将配备主动雷达导引头进行末端制导，能够在5公里最大飞行高度下拦截7公里外的目标。发射装置采用4x4布局，包含16个发射箱，预计将安装在半挂车上。

LIG Nex1公司在一份新闻稿中表示：“LIG Nex1已研发并生产了涵盖防空、监视、指挥控制、通信和电子战等领域的多种防御系统。我们将利用在系统集成、交战控制、精确跟踪等方面积累的技术和经验，为研发最先进的导弹拦截器做出贡献，以应对朝鲜日益增长的火炮威胁。”

LAMD是韩国构建先进多层防空网络的一部分，该网络包括陆基和舰载导弹防御系统。LAMD的主要任务是拦截来自朝鲜的来袭炮弹，以保卫韩国首尔都市圈。据信，朝鲜军方已在军事分界线沿线部署了数百门远程火炮。

韩国军方曾考虑购买以色列的“铁穹”防空系统，但考虑到以色列的防空系统是为防御迫击炮弹而开发的，其威力远不及朝鲜发射的火箭弹和短程弹道导弹，因此改变了主意。

LAMD系统的招标书将于明年发布，目标是在2030年代初部署防空系统。

除了 LIG Nex1 之外，韩华系统公司预计也将通过提供其远程地对空雷达和其他传感器系统来参与这项价值 24 亿美元的采购计划。

Brian Kim曾是《防务新闻》驻韩国记者。