South Korea Confirms sale of M-SAM2, Medium-range Surface-to-air-Missile to UAE

The UAE Ministry of National Defense (MND) will acquire South Korea's Chungung 2 (M-SAM2, medium-range surface-to-air missile) regarding which contracts were signed between the UAE MND and Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) in Abu Dhabi last week.

At the time of the contract signing the details of the SAM was not disclosed.

The companies involved to complete this deal are UAE’s TTI and South Korean LIG ​​Nex1, Hanwha Systems, and Hanwha Defense.

The DAPA and the UAE Ministry of National Defense signed this MOU and the Cheongung 2 contract will lead to  the establishment of a defense-industrial cooperation system for joint research and development of weapons systems in future.

The Chungung 2 (M-SAM2) is considered a core Weapon System of KAMD (Korea Air & Missile Defense) for effective response to various airborne threats including aircraft and ballistic missiles.

The M-SAM II was developed as lower-tier defense of KAMD: defending ballistic attack of enemy, and providing surface-to-air defense capability against enemy aircraft with longer range than M-SAM, according to it manufacturer, LIG ​​Nex1.

The system features simultaneous multi-targeting of aircraft/ballistic missiles, target direct hit with power-enhancing warhead. The M-SAM II missile has precision-guidance and high mobility with canard and side jet thruster.

The Cheongung II is equipped with high-performance side-thrust-engines, which significantly reduces the “miss distance”, and lethality enhancers which help increase lethality against "difficult-to-aim" targets such as ballistic targets, the South Korean Agency for Defense Development said.

The Cheongung II hit-to-kill (HTK) interceptor system has a claimed maximum range of 40 km and can take down targets at an altitude of 20 KM. Its missile is believed to be able to reach a speed of Mach 5 to get the better of most current aircraft and ballistic missiles.