Homegrown Air-To-Ground Missile To Be Developed

The South Korean Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) has announced plans to develop the country’s first air-launched guided missile, reports the Yonhap news agency (Seoul).

On Monday, the agency announced the US$146 million project develop a long-range air-to-ground missile by 2028.

The new weapon is expected to equip South Korea's indigenous KF-21 fighter jet.

The state-run Agency for Defense Development will oversee the project, while defense firms, such as LIG Nex1 and Hanwha Aerospace, will be involved in the production of a prototype.

If the program is successful, the new missile will become a core component of South Korea's three-axis deterrence system, which consists of air and missile defenses; pre-emptive strike capabilities; and targeting adversary leadership, said the DAPA.