 |
Cheongung-II system. (Photo: LIG Nex1) |
[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] The Cheongung-II (M-SAM2) air defense system, exported to the United Arab Emirates, was reportedly activated in recent days to intercept Iranian missile and drone attacks following escalating tensions in the Middle East.
According to defense sources on Aug. 3, Cheongung-II batteries deployed in the UAE were mobilized as part of the country’s integrated air defense network. U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said at a press briefing that air defense batteries in Qatar, the UAE, Kuwait, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia participated in combat operations, highlighting years of coordination and integration. His remarks effectively confirmed that the UAE’s newly integrated air defense assets were operational.
The UAE signed a $3.5 billion contract in January 2022 to acquire the Cheongung-II system from LIG Nex1, Hanwha Systems, and Hanwha Aerospace—then the largest single guided missile export deal in South Korea’s defense history. The system has reportedly been operationally deployed since last year at Al Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi, with two batteries believed to be in active service.
While UAE authorities have not disclosed the number of interceptions, the country’s Defense Ministry said it had successfully neutralized hostile threats from Iran. Observers note that the system demonstrated interception rates exceeding 90% during domestic testing, raising expectations that similar performance may have been achieved in real-world conditions.
Cheongung-II is a domestically developed medium-range surface-to-air missile system. The Block-I variant is designed to counter aircraft, while Block-II—exported to the UAE—adds ballistic missile interception capability. Using a hit-to-kill method, Cheongung-II can intercept ballistic missiles at altitudes of approximately 15–20 kilometers and engage multiple targets simultaneously with 360-degree coverage.
Alphabiz Reporter Kim Jisun(stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
