AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, SEOUL, South Korea
South Korea will develop high-altitude interceptor missiles to cope with North Korea's ballistic missiles, the head of a state-run defense research agency said April 10.
Ahn Dong-Mahn, head of the Agency for Defence Development (ADD), also said South Korea had joined the international race to develop electromagnetic E-bombs capable of disabling enemy computers and radio or radar receivers.
In an interview with the Korea Defence Daily, Ahn said the agency and 16 other defense companies planned to develop a medium-range ground-to-air missile, known as Iron Hawk-II, by 2011.
"We will add modifications to Iron Hawk-II to produce interceptor missiles against guided missiles," Ahn was quoted as saying.
North Korea has deployed short-range Scuds and Rodongs with a range of 1,300 kilometers (780 miles), while actively developing longer-range Taepodong missiles that theoretically could reach parts of the U.S.
It launched a Taepodong over Japan in 1998, sparking a major security alert.
Ahn also said the ADD planned to develop electromagnetic pulse (EMP) and high power microwave (HPM) bombs by 2015.
"We have drawn up a roadmap to develop EMP and HPM technology into future precision-strike weapons," Ahn said, adding other advanced countries have been secretly developing this technology.
EMP and HPM technology has matured to the point where practical E-bombs are becoming technically feasible, experts say.
The EMP effect, first observed during the early testing of high-altitude airburst nuclear weapons, is characterized by the production of a strong electromagnetic shock wave that inflicts irreversible damage on electrical and electronic equipment.
HPM bombs fry any electronic equipment within their impact area such as computers and radar, leaving the enemy defenseless.
Full Version: Korea to Develop High-Altitude Interceptor Missile
Interesting. Is this a completely Korean effort, or does it involve technology co-produced with systems such as PAC-3 Patriot or SM-3?
The base KM-SAM has lot of Russian technology in it. At the moment, the ABM version would either have Russian help or Israeli tech transfer. A complete independent development seems unlikely.
A few points about KM-SAM.
The development project name is 철매-II, or Iron Hawk-II as stated in the article above. The missile system is a Hawk SAM system replacement for the ROK military. Designated as medium-ranged air-defense missile system, it is expected to have ~50km engagement range, and ~25km ceiling for engagement envelope.
The system, as shown in the CG above, is a mobile air-defense system composed of a command vehicle, a radar vehicle linked with up to three launcher vehicles. So far, it's estimated that each launcher vehicle will carry 8 sealed missiles in individual tubes for verticle launch. The launch method is a gas launch system, which employs highly expansive gas generator to pump the missile out of the launch tube as the missile rocket motor ignites. This is typically a Russian method.
The radar system is the most vital and one of the most difficult piece of technology to master in the SAM system. A co-development with the Russian system, using technology developed for the S-400 Trump system, the newest Russian SAM, was employed for the radar developement headed by Samsung Thales and ADD lab. The radar is a PESA (Passive Electronically Scanned Array), with similar detection characteristics as the SPY-1 radar of AEGIS system. Current detection range is said to be about 100km, and is capable of detecting small RCS targets such as cruise missiles and UAVs.
The missile itself is an offshoot of Russian technology, but uses extremely high-G maneuvering design to defeat high-speed fighters and missiles. The missile can make rapid course correction through numerous side-thrust rocket nozzles, not to mention the TVC (Thrust-Vector Control) tail. No specific figure is given, but from the employed technology, it would seem that KM-SAM may be rated as one of the most maneuverable SAM system in its class.
The missile system uses TVM (Track Via Missile) guidance system, which uses one-way data-link system between the missile and the command system. Once the missile is close enough to the target, however, the missile will turn on J-band active radar seeker for terminal target lock and engagement. The missile employs directional blast fragmentation warhead, which will concentrate the damage of the warhead explosion to the target, rather than everywhere in a circular pattern.
The ABM varient, probably something along the line of L-SAM development, would probably require a new, more high-powered radar, new seeker for more precise manauver, and more powerful booster rocket for more range and altitude, and of course, a new warhead for dealing with ballistic missiles.
A few points about KM-SAM.
The development project name is 철매-II, or Iron Hawk-II as stated in the article above. The missile system is a Hawk SAM system replacement for the ROK military. Designated as medium-ranged air-defense missile system, it is expected to have ~50km engagement range, and ~25km ceiling for engagement envelope.
The system, as shown in the CG above, is a mobile air-defense system composed of a command vehicle, a radar vehicle linked with up to three launcher vehicles. So far, it's estimated that each launcher vehicle will carry 8 sealed missiles in individual tubes for verticle launch. The launch method is a gas launch system, which employs highly expansive gas generator to pump the missile out of the launch tube as the missile rocket motor ignites. This is typically a Russian method.
The radar system is the most vital and one of the most difficult piece of technology to master in the SAM system. A co-development with the Russian system, using technology developed for the S-400 Trump system, the newest Russian SAM, was employed for the radar developement headed by Samsung Thales and ADD lab. The radar is a PESA (Passive Electronically Scanned Array), with similar detection characteristics as the SPY-1 radar of AEGIS system. Current detection range is said to be about 100km, and is capable of detecting small RCS targets such as cruise missiles and UAVs.
The missile itself is an offshoot of Russian technology, but uses extremely high-G maneuvering design to defeat high-speed fighters and missiles. The missile can make rapid course correction through numerous side-thrust rocket nozzles, not to mention the TVC (Thrust-Vector Control) tail. No specific figure is given, but from the employed technology, it would seem that KM-SAM may be rated as one of the most maneuverable SAM system in its class.
The missile system uses TVM (Track Via Missile) guidance system, which uses one-way data-link system between the missile and the command system. Once the missile is close enough to the target, however, the missile will turn on J-band active radar seeker for terminal target lock and engagement. The missile employs directional blast fragmentation warhead, which will concentrate the damage of the warhead explosion to the target, rather than everywhere in a circular pattern.
The ABM varient, probably something along the line of L-SAM development, would probably require a new, more high-powered radar, new seeker for more precise manauver, and more powerful booster rocket for more range and altitude, and of course, a new warhead for dealing with ballistic missiles.
You should just post all these news in one thread.
This Iron Hawk thing bears a closer resemblance to Russia's S-300 system than to the US Patriot or anything.
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