Page 18 - ADT SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2021 Online Magazine

sion missile that is capable of long-range fleet
air defense, sea-based terminal defense, and
anti-surface warfare.

An Improved Iron Dome
Even as it enhances its ballistic missile defence
capabilities, South Korea is also investing in a
system that will protect its people and assets [ MISSILE DEFENCE ]
against long-range artillery and multiple rocket
launchers. In June this year, the Ministry of
National Defence announced that it would
spend US$2.6-billion on an artillery intercep-
tion system. The system, which would be similar
to Israel's "Iron Dome," will protect the coun-
try from North Korea's long-range guns and
rockets.

Work on the "Korean-style Iron Dome,” which
In a boost to the country’s air defence capabilities, RoKAF in can defend Seoul and key facilities that are
November last year received an upgraded version of the Patriot within range of North Korea’s weapons, is
missile defense system. The Patriot Advanced Capability 3 (PAC-3) expected to be completed by 2035.
is capable of directly hitting an enemy missile, thus better neutral-
izing it and reducing potential damage on the ground. The ground The Korean system is likely to be much more
system is also equipped with a radar capable of monitoring dis- capable than Israel’s Iron Dome. “The Iron
tances twice as far as the current PAC-2 operated by the service. Dome responds to rockets fired by militant
groups, such as Hamas and irregular forces
Meanwhile the RoK Navy is inching closer to gaining sea-based sporadically,” says Colonel Suh Yong-won,
anti-ballistic missile capability. The department of defence has spokesperson for the Defence Acquisition
announced plans to construct the second batch of three AEGIS Programme Administration (DAPA). “Some
destroyers, called KDX III Batch II, by 2028 at a cost of US$3.3 parts of the system will bear similarities, but
billion. Unlike the three KDX-III-class destroyers that the service what we are going to build is designed to inter-
currently has, the new destroyers will have anti-ballistic missile cept long-range artillery pieces by North Korea,
capability with Raytheon’s SM-3 interceptors. It is also likely that which requires a higher level of technologies
the ships will be equipped with the U.S. company’s SM-6 multi-mis- given the current security situation.”

18 | September / October 2021 WWW .GBP .COM.SG/ ADT