S.Korea Eyeing Israel’s Sky Spotter Drone Detection System

South Korea is planning to acquire Israel-made Sky Spotter drone detection system, following an incident in December when five North Korean drones penetrated the country’s airspace and flew undetected for several hours.

The South's defense authorities have come under fierce criticism for their failure to shoot down hostile drones. One of the five drones even intruded a no-fly zone, called P-73, near the presidential office in the central district of Yongsan.

Built by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, the Sky Spotter is designed for the early detection and tracking of such aerial objects, including drones, as well as balloons and kites, that are used for terrorist attacks. This warning system establishes a passive aerial defense sphere, from a 1-km radius to tens of kilometers and more.

A source told Yonhap news agency that the military plans to decide whether to formally request the purchase of the system following a review in the coming weeks on its effectiveness in countering the North's drone threats, especially in making up for the radars and thermal observation devices currently in operation.