South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) has successfully completed the development of its long-range surface-to-air missile (L-SAM) system, as announced by the Ministry of National Defense (MND) on May 27. The L-SAM system is now considered combat-ready following recent tests that confirmed it met all technical development goals.
The L-SAM, a key component of South Korea’s Korea Air and Missile Defense (KAMD) system, is designed to intercept ballistic missiles at altitudes of 50-60 kilometers. It complements other missile defense systems such as the Cheongung II medium-range SAM, the U.S.-supplied MIM-104 Patriot SAM, and the low-altitude missile defense (LAMD) capability.
The production of the L-SAM is set to begin in 2025, with deployment to the military scheduled for the late 2020s. The development of the L-SAM has been a collaborative effort since 2019 between DAPA’s subsidiary Agency for Defense Development (ADD) and the local military technology firm LIG Nex1.
The L-SAM is integral to South Korea’s broader missile defense architecture, which also includes the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system. THAAD addresses medium-to-high altitude threats (40 to 150 kilometers), while the L-SAM will cover mid-altitude threats (40 to 70 kilometers). The medium-range surface-to-air missile (M-SAM) and the Patriot system will provide lower-altitude protection.
Equipped with active radar guidance, the L-SAM can engage targets up to 200 kilometers away, using two types of interceptors: one for general air-breathing threats like aircraft or cruise missiles, and another for ballistic threats. The anti-ballistic missile (ABM) interceptor employs a hit-to-kill system with a kill vehicle equipped with infrared sensors and precision flight control.
An L-SAM battery comprises four truck-mounted launchers, a command-and-control center, a battle control station, and a multifunction radar. Between November 2022 and June 2023, the L-SAM successfully completed three out of four missile interception tests.
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