Air defence systems in the country were activated as part of the response to the incoming threat. The M-SAM II system opened fire at an approaching ballistic missile and successfully destroyed the target.
According to the newspaper Korea Times, the KM-SAM Block II neutralised at least one target during the incident. The engagement represents the first real operational test of the system, which South Korea has exported to several partners in the Middle East as part of efforts to expand its defence industry presence in the region.
Cheongung II was designed to intercept both aircraft and ballistic missiles. Each battery consists of four to six mobile launchers, with every launcher equipped with eight interceptor missiles.
The system also includes a Cheongung-II multifunction radar and a command-and-control vehicle responsible for coordinating fire. These components work together to detect, track and engage incoming aerial threats.
The interceptor missile weighs about 400 kilograms and uses a hit-to-kill interception method. This approach destroys incoming targets through a direct kinetic impact.
Cheongung II has a maximum range of about 50 kilometres and can engage targets travelling at speeds of up to 1,500 metres per second at altitudes reaching 20 kilometres. The system is designed to provide medium-range air defence coverage against a range of airborne threats.
The United Arab Emirates became the first foreign operator of the Cheongung II system after signing a contract worth 3.5 billion US dollars in 2022 for ten batteries. The system is produced by South Korean companies LIG Nex1, Hanwha Systems and Hanwha Aerospace.
At least two batteries have already been deployed in the United Arab Emirates. Within the country’s layered air defence network, the South Korean system occupies the medium layer, complementing Patriot systems.
Officials in the United Arab Emirates have already asked authorities in Seoul to accelerate the delivery of additional batteries. The request is linked to the need to strengthen the interception of incoming aerial threats amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.
Last summer, LIG Nex1 also received a contract to develop a new air defence system known as Cheongung III, or KM-SAM Block III. The project is scheduled to be completed by 2034.
