PETER LA FRANCHI / BUSAN

Erecter/launcher is identical to that of the SA-10, indicating involvement by Russia

South Korean company LG Innotek has for the first time revealed images of the highly classified M-SAM medium-range surface-to-air missile under joint development with South Korea's Agency for Defence Development (ADD).

LG has also unveiled details of South Korea's unnamed long-range anti-shipping missile, which completed testing earlier this year and is to go into full production for the South Korean navy in early 2004.

Photographs of a prototype M-SAM missile and artwork of its launch from a combined transporter-erector vehicle were displayed on the LG stand at the Korea air show in Busan earlier this month.

The missile has visual similarity to the 48N6 missile used in the Russian Almaz Scientific Production Association SA-10PMU surface-to-air system.

The erecter/launcher vehicle shown in the images is identical to that used by the SA-10, indicating extensive Russian engineering involvement with the project. Russian links on the development programme were first suggested by the South Korean media in 1998.

LG officials say the M-SAM would have an engagement range of around 30-60km (16-32nm). The weapon is expected to be operationally available by around 2010.

The new anti-shipping missile is about 5.4m (17.7ft) long, including booster, with a 5.7m-long launcher canister. LG says the high-explosive warhead is similar to that fielded on the Boeing AGM-84 Harpoon.

The missile has a stated range of more than 150km at high subsonic speeds. LG officials say the actual range could be almost 280km, however.

The missile uses an inertial navigation system with GPS cross-referencing. Terminal guidance is provided by an active millimetre wave radar seeker and, according to LG, has a re-attack mode. The South Korean navy intends to deploy the weapon aboard its KDX II class destroyers.

South Korea's on-again/off-again SAM-X surface-to-air missile project is expected to be considered for government funding approval around 2006. The project had been originally based on an estimated $1.8 billion purchase of 48 Raytheon Patriot PAC-2 systems to equip two South Korean air defence battalions. Detailed contract negotiations with Raytheon were shelved at the end of 2001 after a disagreement over price. The SAM-X project aims to equip three air-defence battalions, two with Raytheon PAC-2 GEM+ systems and one with Lockheed Martin PAC-3s. The PAC-2 GEM+ acquisition is estimated to be worth $2.4 billion. The PAC-3 acquisition is forecast at $1.4 billion.

Source: Flight International