News Story: S. Korea's military seeks five indigenous spy satellites by 2023

SEOUL, Aug. 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's military said Friday it will soon begin a full-fledged project to put five indigenous reconnaissance satellites into operation by 2023.

The implementation of the ambitious program, worth about 1 trillion won (US$880 million), has been delayed for more than four years amid conflict among the defense ministry, the science ministry and the National Intelligence Service over the details of the development and operation.

Under the decision made at the defense program committee, chaired by Defense Minister Song Young-moo, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration plans to pick a contractor for the initiative by the end of this year.

The scheme, code-named the "425 Project," is spearheaded by the national arms procurement agency and the state-run Agency for Defense Development (ADD).

It's aimed at establishing a military spy satellite system capable of collecting security-related information and intelligence on the Korean Peninsula and in nearby regions.

Read the full story at YonhapNews

News Story: (South Korea) Navy to receive new landing ship this week

Lead ship of the Cheonwangbong class LST

SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- A next-generation landing ship capable of transporting more troops and military hardware than existing vessels will be delivered to the Navy this week, the state arms procurement agency said Monday.

The Cheonjabong, which will be delivered Tuesday, is the Navy's second LST-II ship acquired under the next generation landing ship project that calls for building a total of four such ships by 2018. The first ship, the Cheonwangbong, was delivered to the Navy in November 2014.

The 4,500-ton Cheonjabong can transport more troops and hardware further away at a faster speed than the existing Gobongjun-class (LST-I) ship. It can travel at a maximum speed of 23 knots per hour with a total of 130 crew members, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration.

Read the full story at YonhapNews

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PacificSentinel: For those that don't know LST stands for "Landing Ship - Tank", thought from the look of the design it would better fit the LPD (Landing Platform - Dock) designation.

News Story: 'Surion' chopper to take anti-icing test again

SEOUL, July 27 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will put its "Surion" military helicopter to a formal test again on its anti-icing system within the next several months, the nation's arms agency said Thursday.

The multi-role KUH-1 chopper was once an icon of South Korea's fast-developing defense industry, developed in 2009 by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) in partnership with Airbus Helicopters.

But it has become a source of public concern amid a series of reports of flaws including cracks in the airframe and a problem in the gearbox.

The country's Board of Audit and Inspection has questioned the airworthiness of the twin-engine helicopter.

The audit office even cited a water leakage issue, which the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) claimed later has been already resolved.

The DAPA said it's preparing for a test on Surion's anti-icing system in the United States. Surion failed the previous cold-weather test taken in 2015. It failed to meet 29 of the 101 requirements.

Read the full story at YonhapNews

News Report: South Korea Launches Corruption Investigation Into F-35, KF-X Deals

Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning Fighter Aircraft

South Korean officials have opened an investigation into defense acquisition contracts for F-35 and KF-X aircraft pushed for by former President Park Geun-hye, who was sentenced to prison in March for abusing the power of her office, bribery, coercion and leaking classified information.

Defense Acquisition Program Administrator (DAPA) head Chang Myoung-jin has become the subject of a criminal investigation stemming from concerns of negligence and corruption, the Korea Times reported Monday. Chang was tapped by Park for his post shortly before Lockheed Martin and Seoul agreed to the F-35 deal worth at least $7 billion.

South Korea agreed to acquire 40 F-35A conventional take-off and landing aircraft on September 30, 2014. Washington signed off on the program to help its ally retire a fleet of outdated F-4 and F-5 aircraft.

News Story: S. Korea's KF-X fighter taking shape, final design due in 2018

A Model of one of several possible designs for the KF-X

By Lee Chi-dong

SEOUL, July 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will complete the design of its own advanced fighter jet by the first half of next year, with another key task well under way to develop an AESA radar system in the KF-X project, the country's arms procurement agency said Thursday.

South Korea floated a plan in the 2000s to replace the Air Force's aging fleet of F-4 and F-5 jets, and formally launched the 8.8 trillion-won (US$7.7 billion) KF-X program in early 2016. Indonesia is a junior partner, sharing 20 percent of the total cost.

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) aims to round off the aircraft development by 2026 for two years of test operations to follow. It plans to introduce some 120 KF-X fighters.

"We are working on the shape design. It will be done by June 2018," a DAPA official said. "It will be final. There is little chance of a change."

South Korea is also focusing on developing an indigenous AESA radar, a core element for the envisioned 4.5-generation stealth combat jet. AESA stands for active electronically scanned array.

Read the full story at YonhapNews

News Story: S. Korean Navy receives new advanced submarine

KSS-11 Son Won-Il U214 Class Submarine
(Image: Wiki Commons)

SEOUL, July 10 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Navy took over a new 1,800-ton submarine Monday aimed at beefing up its underwater warfare capability against North Korea, a state arms procurement agency said.

The delivery ceremony of the Yu Gwan-sun submarine was held at the shipyard of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. on Geoje Island near the country's southeastern port city of Busan, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).

Read the full story at YonhapNews

News Story: S. Korea to cut steel for new 3,000-ton submarine

By Lee Chi-dong

SEOUL, June 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will start the construction of a new 3,000-ton submarine for the Navy, the state arms procurement agency said Friday.

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said a steel-cutting ceremony for the third submarine in the Jangbogo-III project will be held at the shipyard of Hyundai Heavy Industries in Ulsan, some 414 kilometers southeast of Seoul, later in the day

Under the 10 trillion-won (US$8.7 billion) Jangbogo-III project, South Korea plans to build nine 3,000-ton submarines in three batches with its own technology.

Read the full story at YonhapNews

News Story: Cracks found on Surion military helicopter's airframe - arms agency

A KAI built Surion Helicopter

SEOUL, June 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Army has resumed the operation of more than 60 Surion multiple-purpose choppers after grounding them for nearly three weeks for new cracks found on the airframe, a state arms procurement agency said Thursday.

The Army's central joint technology committee made the decision earlier this week to permit the continued service of the indigenous rotorcraft in accordance with its analysis of the cause and flight stability, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).

It belatedly revealed that cracks, 1.2-1.5 centimeters long, were discovered on the upper-left side of the fuselage of eight Surions on May 24. Two weeks later, the Army grounded all of its Surions.

Read the full story at YonhapNews

News Story: S. Korea to modernize air defense warning system

SEOUL, June 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has developed a cutting-edge air defense early warning, command and control system using digital communications technology, the country's arms procurement agency said Thursday.

The Command Control and Alert, or C2A, system will enter service in 2019 at local military units, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).

It has teamed up with the state-run Agency for Defense Development for the project that began in 2010, also joined by more than 20 domestic firms.

Currently, South Korean troops rely on radio-based verbal communications for the spread of air threat data and fire control.

Read the full story at YonhapNews

News Story: S. Korean Navy to have four new NLL patrol ships

SEOUL, June 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Navy announced a plan Wednesday to replace its naval patrol ships operating near the tense inter-Korean sea border with upgraded ones.

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), the country's arms procurement agency, said it has signed a 256-billion-won (US$ 223 million) agreement with Hanjin Heavy Industries, a local shipyard, for four 200-ton high-speed patrol boats.

The Gumdoksuri (golden eagle)-class ships will be delivered to the Navy in 2020 to replace existing 170-ton Chamsuri (sea eagle)-class ones operating in waters near the Northern Limit Line (NLL), the de-factor maritime border between the two Koreas, it said.

Read the full story at YonhapNews

News Story: S. Korea begins prototype production of light armed chopper

Korean LAH developmental mock-up (File Photo)

SEOUL, June 27 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Tuesday it has started to assemble the first prototype of a light armed helicopter (LAH) with the goal of conducting a test flight in 2019.

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), the country's arms procurement agency, launched the development project in June 2015 to replace the aging 500MD and AH-1S choppers in partnership with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI).

A preliminary design was completed in August last year and the production of prototype components began in November, according to DAPA.

Read the full story at YonhapNews

News Story: New minelayer delivered to S. Korean Navy

SEOUL, June 9 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Navy received a new minelayer from a local shipbuilder Friday, as it's trying to beef up its mine warfare capabilities against North Korea.

Built by Hyundai Heavy Industries, the 3,000-ton vessel, named Nampo, was delivered to the Navy in a ceremony held in the firm's shipyard in the southeastern city of Ulsan, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).

It will be commissioned in early 2018 after seven months of test operations, DAPA added.

It can accommodate 120 crew members and sail at a top speed of 23 knots, equipped with a deck for a chopper, advanced weapons, radars, and the Sound Navigation and Ranging (Sonar) system.

Read the full story at YonhapNews

News Story: S. Korea to mass-produce anti-tank guided missile

SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is set for the mass-production of the Raybolt medium-range anti-tank guided missile, as it has passed a "quality certification" test, the nation's arms procurement agency said Thursday.

The live-fire test of the man-portable rocket system was successful, held at a Pocheon range, northeast of Seoul, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).

The Defense Agency for Technology and Quality (DATQ) also participated in the test of an actual product made by LIG Nex1, a local defense firm.

Read the full story at YonhapNews

News Story: S. Korea turns to Israeli contractor for KF-X jet radar

A model of one of several possible designs for the KFX

SEOUL, May 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has formally decided to receive some technology support from Israel for the development of an advanced radar system in its KF-X fighter jet program, Seoul's arms procurement agency said Tuesday.

The state-run Agency for Defense Development (ADD) signed a contract with an Israeli defense firm on testing an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar being developed by a South Korean company, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).

"It's about technology support related to the operation test of a prototype radar, not the development itself," the DAPA said.

The agency would not reveal the value of the contract apparently with Elta, while an industry official said it's worth around 40 billion won (US$35.5 million).

It requires sophisticated technology to test an AESA radar system and integrate it with aircraft.

Read the full story at YonhapNews

News Report: Construction Begins on South Korea’s Massive New ‘Light Aircraft Carrier’

Dokdo-class (Image: Wiki Commons)

A keel-laying ceremony for the 14,500-ton amphibious landing ship was held in Busan Friday at the Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction Co. shipyard. The vessel is set to be launched in April 2018.

According to the Yonhap News Agency, Seoul’s navy will be receiving the Dokdo-class ship after trial operations, marking the first time in a decade that a transport ship of this size has been built in the country. It will measure 199.4 meters long and 31 meters wide. 

The new vessel will be the South’s second Dokdo-class ship, behind the already-operational LP-X Dokdo. An updated self-defense system complete with a $367-million vertical rocket launcher will be included as well.

With the ability to carry hundreds of servicemen, armored vehicles, artillery, trucks, helicopters and high speed ships, the multifaceted vessel is often called a “light aircraft carrier" and is one of the largest amphibious landing ships on the Asian continent.

News Report: Threat From the North - Seoul Seeks More Anti-Missile Radars

As threats from Pyongyang intensify, South Korea announced on Tuesday its intent to buy within the year two new advanced early warning radars to track incoming ballistic missiles from the North.

According to the Defense Acquisition Program Agency (DAPA), South Korean Defense Minister Han Min-koo presided over the arms procurement projects meeting, where the plan was approved.

The new radar systems would be able to better detect missiles from Pyongyang, as they feature a range of more than 800 kilometers. Currently Seoul’s military operates two Green Pine land-based radar systems that were made in Israel.

Defense officials reworked a mid-term plan to make room for two new systems, as the original only allotted for one.

This comes as the missile-armed US submarine USS Michigan joins a carrier strike group led by the USS Carl Vinson, in annual joint military drills between the US and South Korea.

News Story: South Korea develops missile with flight path-changing capability

By: Mike Yeo

MELBOURNE, Australia – Against a backdrop of rising tension over North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs, South Korea has announced that development of a new, extended-range, shipborne land-attack missile has been completed, and the missile will now go into serial production later this year, to enter service in 2019.  

The Tactical Surface Launch Missile, or TSLM, which had been referred to as the Haeseong II in local media, can deploy an unspecified number of submunitions against an area target the size of two soccer fields. It can be used against installations as well as light armored or soft-skinned vehicles such as mobile missile launchers and support vehicles, according to an April 18 news release by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, or DAPA. 

Another feature of the missile is its ability to rapidly generate new flight paths in real time, which raises the possibility of it being able to rapidly take on new targets should a more important one be detected. DAPA also added that improved obstacle avoidance performance is built into the missile. 

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Story: India, South Korea sign agreement to build warships

By: Vivek Raghuvanshi

NEW DELHI — India and South Korea inked a memorandum of understanding on Friday in India to cooperate in shipbuilding for military use. 

The memorandum was signed by both India's secretary of defence production, Ashok Kumar Gupta, and South Korean Minister of Defense Acquisition Program Administration Chang Myoung-jin in India "for Defence Industry Co-operation in Shipbuilding," according to an Indian Ministry of Defence news release.

India has chosen state-owned Hindustan Shipyard Limited, or HSL, to cooperate with a shipyard nominated by South Korea. 

"The Inter-Governmental MoU, was conceived under the overall umbrella of the 'Special Strategic Partnership' between both sides as declared in the Joint Statement of the Prime Minister of India and the President of [South Korea] in May 2015," the MoD release said. 

An MoD official explained that the cooperation is part of the Make in India policy, under which warships will be built at domestic shipyards with South Korea's help.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Report: North Korea's Missile Prep Time 'Effectively Nullifies' South's Defenses

Pukguksong-2 ballistic missile

North Korea's missile technology tested over the weekend has rendered South Korea's domestic missile defense systems nearly obsolete, South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) said as cited by local media Tuesday.

TOKYO (Sputnik) – The NIS detailed Pyongyang's launch of the Pukguksong-2 ballistic missile on Sunday as reaching a top speed of Mach 8.5 and capable of flying at over 1,200 miles, according to the Yonhap news service.

The NIS, in a briefing with the South Korean lawmakers, also reportedly said Pyongyang's use of solid fuel "significantly reduced the launch preparation time to less than 10 minutes."

The reduced launch preparation time could thus "effectively nullify the 'Kill Chain' that is being designed to detect and destroy North Korean missile threats before they are launched," a lawmaker briefed by the NIS reportedly said.

South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) has been determined to develop its domestically produced missile defense systems — Kill Chain and Korean Air and Missile Defense — to intercept North Korean missiles before 2023.

This story first appeared on Sputnik & is reposted here with permission.

News Story: South Korea to speed up hovercraft delivery

Landing Craft Air Cushion (Image: Wiki Commons)

by Ryan Maass

South Korea's defense procurement agency will move up the scheduled delivery of two hovercraft landing ships by one year.

The move, which the agency says is meant to counter North Korea's growing nuclear capabilities, brings the delivery date from 2021 to 2020 according to IHS Janes. Hanjin Heavy Industries received a $130 million contract to support the project.

"If the hovercraft landing ships are deployed in 2020, the navy's operational capabilities will receive a boost amid growing tensions from North Korea," a spokesperson for DAPA, South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration, told the Yonhap news agency.

Read the full story at SpaceWar