The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said on the 19th that it held a kick-off meeting for the system development project of the medium-range surface-to-air guided missile (M-SAM) Block III.
At the meeting held that day at the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) in Daejeon, DAPA, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Air Force, the Agency for Defense Development (ADD), the Defense Agency for Technology and Quality (DTaQ), and the prototype manufacturer attended. They reviewed the project schedule and development plan and discussed risk management measures.
The M-SAM Block III development project aims to create a system that intercepts enemy aircraft or missiles at an altitude twice as high as Block II "Cheongung II" (altitude 15–20 km). Detection range and simultaneous engagement capability have also been significantly improved. About 868.8 billion won will be invested through 2030 to complete system development under the lead of ADD.
Once the M-SAM Block III is fielded, it is expected to deliver performance on par with the U.S. Patriot (PAC-3), further strengthening the lower-tier terminal-phase interception capability of the Korea Air and Missile Defense (KAMD). DAPA also said that, together with Cheongung II, the long-range surface-to-air guided weapon (L-SAM) and L-SAM II, it will complete a multi-layered defense network within the atmosphere with domestically produced weapons systems.
DAPA also emphasized that the M-SAM Block III, based on a design optimized for our military's operating environment, allows for continuous performance upgrades and can be fielded stably regardless of external conditions. On the expense side, acquisition unit prices and operation and maintenance expenses will be reduced, and through the participation of domestic corporations, it is expected to make significant contributions not only to economic and industrial ripple effects but also to the development of the defense industry through exports.
While presiding over the meeting, DAPA Vice Administrator Kang Hwan-seok said, "We will conduct thorough project management to ensure the success of the M-SAM Block III system development and its timely fielding," adding, "We will do our best to develop an M-SAM Block III that satisfies both performance and price so that it can also help strengthen export competitiveness."