On Friday 29 November 2024 in a ceremony held at the Agency for Défense Development in Daejeon The Republic of Korea (RoK) Ministry of Defence announced the successful completion of the ten-year domestic development program of the Long-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (L-SAM).
L-SAM fielding will fill a critical need in the country’s layered air defence coverage. Its role is to engage and destroy targets at altitudes above forty kilometres complementing the U.S. Patriot Advanced Capability-3 and ROK M-SAM II air defence systems that intercept targets at altitudes of 40 km and below. In fact, although not confirmed by the MoD, it is estimated the L-SAM is actually able to reach targets at between fifty and sixty kilometres. The upper altitude threats between forty and one-hundred and fifty kilometres is addresses by the US Theatre High Altitude Air Defense System (THAADS). Together these make up the Republic of Korea Air Force’s Korean Air and Missile Defence (KAMD) system.
The L-SAM’s role is targeting ballistic missiles in their terminal phase such as North Korea’s KN-23 and KN-24. It has successfully demonstrated this intercept capability in a series of missile firing tests in November 2022 and again in June 2023. Two missile versions are provided in the L-SAM one optimized for traditional aircraft and cruise missile targets and a second anti-ballistic missile hit-to-kill interceptor. A L-SAM battery consists of a truck-mounted multi-function S-band AESA radar, a command-and-control centre, and four truck mounted launchers with six missiles each.
Production of L-SAM by Hanwha Aerospace is to occur in 2025 with initial deployment to begin in 2028 or before. In addition, the next generation L-SAM 2 development had been approved in April 2023 which will include both higher one-hundred-and-eighty-kilometre altitude interceptors and a glide phase interceptor.
By utilizing entirely domestic technology the L-SAM has the potential to be offered to address foreign military air defence requirements. The RoK KM-SAM II air defence missile has already found success in some of these markets particularly those in the Middle East.
by Stephen W. Miller
