Korea's midrange surface-to-air interception system Cheongung-II is emerging as a "game changer" on battlefields worldwide. Demand to expand air defense networks has surged due to various wars, and disruptions in supplies of the U.S. Patriot, which has dominated this field, are prompting more countries to focus on the cost-effective and combat-proven Cheongung-II.
According to the defense industry on the 18th, an official at LIG Defense&Aerospace (LIG D&A), which led development of the integrated Cheongung-II system, said on a conference call on the 7th, "The combat-proven effect from the U.S.-Iran war is serving as Cheongung-II's global marketing assets," adding, "Real-world data of 29 hits out of 30 shots is leading to new inquiries from many countries in the Middle East, Southeast Asia and South America."
The industry expects new contracts to be signed soon in Qatar and Kuwait. Switzerland is also said to have begun reviewing Cheongung-II instead of the Patriot.
◇ Cheongung-II, now combat-proven… more flexible engagement than the Patriot
Cheongung-II is a midrange surface-to-air interception system developed to respond simultaneously to aerial threats such as ballistic missiles and aircraft. One battery consists of a multifunction radar vehicle (Hanwha Systems), an engagement control station vehicle (LIG D&A), and launcher vehicles (Hanwha Aerospace and Kia). Each launcher can carry up to eight guided missiles and can fire in sequence. It intercepts by directly colliding (hit to kill) and self-destructing; it can engage ballistic missiles at altitudes of 15–20 km and aircraft above 20 km. Its effective range extends up to 50 km.
Cheongung-II began drawing global attention following the war between the United States and Iran. Previously, Cheongung-II had been exported to the United Arab Emirates (UAE; about $3.5 billion), Saudi Arabia (about $3.5 billion) and Iraq (about $2.5 billion), but it had never been used in combat. Its standing changed after reports that the UAE intercepted 96% of Iran's missiles and drones with Cheongung-II. It began to be viewed as a replacement for the U.S. Patriot, a medium- to low-altitude surface-to-air interception system.
According to the Financial Times (FT), each Patriot missile costs $3.7 million (about 5.4 billion won), and delivery takes four to six years. A Cheongung-II missile costs $1.1 million (about 1.6 billion won), making it far cheaper than the Patriot. In addition, as LIG D&A expands production capacity and is operating two shifts, Cheongung-II output is expected to increase within nine to 12 months.
Cheongung-II's flexible engagement method is also cited as a strength. The system uses a "cold launch" technique. The missile is popped more than 10 meters above the launcher, ignites in the air, and then turns toward the target. An LIG D&A official said, "There is no need to rotate the launcher itself toward the target, and there is no flame or backblast affecting the ground or nearby equipment."
By contrast, the Patriot must always ignite the missile inside a canted launcher, and to change direction the entire launcher must be physically rotated. Equipment also wears quickly due to high-temperature flames. Shin Jong-woo, secretary-general of the Korea Defense and Security Forum, said, "Cheongung-II's radar performance for detecting ballistic missiles and the like is markedly superior to the Patriot."
◇ "Countries without the Patriot could prioritize Cheongung-II"… need fast delivery and sales push
The global defense market is watching whether Cheongung-II can be an alternative that reduces reliance on the Patriot. The Patriot has long been the standard for Western air defense, but recently concerns have grown that missile supply and maintenance support could become uncertain depending on U.S. administration changes or shifts in foreign policy. With geopolitical tensions rising amid wars in the Middle East, some countries have faced "security gaps" depending on U.S. allocations of Patriot units. Switzerland, where Patriot deliveries have been delayed by four to five years, is a prime example.
Some say that while Cheongung-II cannot fully replace the Patriot, demand will keep growing for it to complement shortfalls. The Patriot has a 100-km range, longer than Cheongung-II. But Cheongung-II can serve as a "goalkeeper" to sweep up missiles that the Patriot misses. The UAE, which uses the Patriot, also introduced Cheongung-II to make its air defense network denser.
Kim Ho-sung, dean of the GAST Graduate School of Engineering at the National University of Changwon, said, "For layered defense, you need to stack multiple layers of air defense, so Cheongung-II, a low-altitude air defense system, cannot be a single solution," but added, "For countries that have not yet introduced the Patriot, considering price and delivery time, prioritizing Cheongung-II is worth reviewing."
Some also say expanded production capacity and government support are needed to boost Cheongung-II exports. Shin said, "We have not even delivered all the contracted export volumes to the Middle East yet, so we need to secure rapid delivery," adding, "If we can produce and deliver faster than the United States, we can win more orders." Kim stressed, "The government should actively push Cheongung-II sales by presenting data such as quantities available for direct supply and delivery timelines."