South Korea has agreed to dispatch Cheongung‑II air defense interceptors to the UAE following an emergency request from the Gulf state, which has been facing drone and missile attacks from Iran.
More than 30 interceptors for the South Korean-built air defense system deployed in the UAE will be delivered aboard a C‑17 transport aircraft that arrived in South Korea on Sunday, according to South Korean media.
“Following an urgent request from the UAE, we have decided to advance the delivery schedule for part of the Cheongung-II guided missile quantity,” The Chosun Daily quoted an unnamed government official as saying.
The UAE deploys a pair of Cheongung-II batteries as part of the country’s integrated air defense architecture, which also includes the US-made MIM-104 Patriot.
The country’s initial request was to advance the delivery of the remaining eight Cheongung-II systems that were procured under a $3.5-billion deal signed in 2022 with South Korean firms LIG Nex1 and Hanwha Systems.
However, Seoul reportedly could not fulfill the request due to prior commitments. In addition to the UAE, South Korea has signed multi-billion-dollar deals with Saudi Arabia and Iraq for the delivery of the medium-range system.
The request for interceptors follows the South Korean system’s first combat deployment in the UAE against recent Iranian attacks, where it reportedly achieved more than a 100 percent interception rate.
US and Israeli strikes on Iran have continued since February 28, when the initial barrage killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Tehran retaliated with missile and drone attacks on US bases across the Middle East, with some strikes also damaging civilian infrastructure, including airports and hotels.
South Korean media reported that the UAE’s air and missile defense system neutralized 161 ballistic missiles and 689 drones in the initial three days of the attack — an interception rate of more than 90 percent.
Citing South Korean Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik, The Korea Times reported that queries regarding the Cheongung-II have also come from other countries, without revealing further details.
The system’s high interception rate under real combat conditions could help increase its demand, the outlet reported, citing an industry source.
“Demand for related weapons is rising even in the US,” they added.
Developed as a medium-range surface-to-air system to counter aircraft and ballistic missiles, a Cheongung-II battery includes four launchers, a radar, and a fire control center.
The system’s 400-kilogram (882-pound) interceptor uses a hit-to-kill mechanism and can intercept ballistic missiles at ranges of about 20 kilometers (12 miles) and altitudes above 15 kilometers (9 miles).
Against aircraft, it has a range of roughly 50 kilometers (31 miles) and an interception altitude of up to 20 kilometers (12 miles).
Local firms LIG Nex1 and Hanwha System are involved in its development.
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