Seoul, June 1 (BNA): South Korea successfully tested a home-made main interceptor missile under development earlier this week, the third success out of four tests so far.
The government’s Defense Development Agency (ADD) on Tuesday revealed the full process of test-intercepting a long-range surface-to-air missile (L-SAM) at the Anheung test site in Taean, South Korean news agency Yonhap reported that 109 kilometers southwest of Seoul for the first time. .
The L-SAM is a three-stage architecture, including the final “Kill Vehicle” stage. Designed to shoot down an incoming ballistic missile at altitudes of 50-60 kilometers, it is a key component of the country’s low-level, layered anti-missile shield, called the Korea Air and Missile Defense (KAMD).
On a large screen at the test site, the Kill Vehicle is seen accurately hitting a target missile after the successful separation of its first and second stages.
The Department of Defense said it plans to complete development of the L-SAM by next year, proceed to its mass production phase in 2025 and begin deploying the interceptor system in the late 2020s.
South Korea’s KAMD program consists of multiple intercept systems, including the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missile and the Cheongung-II medium-range surface-to-air missile, which will be used for interceptions at altitudes of 40 km or less.
ZHB