As North Korea prepares for another intercontinental missile test, South Korea continues to modernize its forces and take steps toward full sovereign control of its defenses.
"Raytheon Begins SAM-X/Patriot Missile Work in South Korea" described one new piece of the ROK's defenses. These PAC-2 GEM+ missiles are expected to be operational in 2010, and fully in space by 2012. South Korea doesn't appear to be aiming as high as Japan, with its license-produced Patriot PAC-3s and long-range naval SM-3 systems, but medium range SM-2 IIIA/B missiles fired from ROKN KDX-III destroyers do offer another limited option for the ROK's coastal cities.
As countries like the UAE have been quick to recognize, turning a series of point defenses into a cohesive system that can respond in time requires long-range detection, and strong regional command-and-control systems. Those contracts are reportedly imminent, as South Korea prepares to field its Air and Missile Defense Cell(AMD-Cell) radars and command system...
Feb 15/09
The Korea Times reports that South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) is likely to select Israel's EL/M-2080 Green Pine radar systems, buying 2 radar sets by 2010 in a WON 300 billion/$215 million deal. Green Pine radars are an integral component of Israel's own national missiles defense system, where they are used in conjunction with Patriot PAC-2 GEM+ missiles and Boeing/IAI's longer-range Arrow-2 Interceptors. They may also become part of India's emerging ABM system.
Greem Pine radars have a claimed detection range of 500km/300miles, which can be extendted to 800km/480miles in the most modern versions. Just one of those "Super Pine" radars cold cover all of North Korea from a position well behind the armistice's front lines.
The ballistic missile early warning radars are a part of the ROK's planned Air and Missile Defense-Cell (AMD-Cell), a missile defense command-and control center that will play a key role in monitoring, tracking and intercepting incoming cruise and ballistic missles from North Korea. AMD-Cell will reportedly be interoperable with US Forces Korea's own threater missile defense system.
An anonymous source told the paper that the USA's Forward-Based X-Band Radar-Transportable (FBX-T) was denied due to export restrictions, which the French M3R radar failed to meet all requirements. Overall:
"The DAPA concluded negotiations with foreign bidders over the selection of the early-warning radar systems last week and believes the Israeli radar is the most suitable for the country's theater missile shield in terms of price and capabilities."
Israel and South Korea have had limited defense ties over the years, but those ties appear to be growing. South Korea has begun buying Israeli UAVs, and Israelis considering South Korea's T-50 jets as its future advanced flight trainers.
