South Korean defense equipment maker Hanwha Systems Co. was selected to develop a multi-function radar (MFR) for the next-generation Long-range Surface-to-Air Missile (L-SAM-II) system, Korea’s upper-tier missile defense platform dubbed the Korean THAAD.

The company announced on Tuesday that it would serve as the prototype developer for the 54.7 billion won ($40 million) project, commissioned by the state-run Agency for Defense Development (ADD). The MFR is a core component of the L-SAM-II system, which is designed to detect, track, and guide interceptors against high-altitude ballistic threats.

The radar system will feature enhanced capabilities, including longer detection and tracking ranges, real-time threat assessment, and the ability to distinguish between genuine threats and non-hostile objects such as birds or debris.

The L-SAM-II system represents a leap from its predecessor, with an interception altitude three to four times higher than the original L-SAM, allowing it to cover a broader defensive envelope. In the Korea Air and Missile Defense (KAMD) system, the L-SAM-II is the first to intercept enemy ballistic missile threats, and the M-SAM-II (Cheon-Gung-II), a medium-range surface-to-air guided weapon system of the ‘Korean Patriot,’ intercepts them sequentially within the operational effective range, thus strengthening the KAMD.

Hanwha Systems has an extensive track record in radar development for national defense, having delivered MFR units for the L-SAM programs. The company has also produced multi-functional radars for Korea’s representative land, sea, and air security assets, including multi-functional radars for the next-generation Korean destroyer (KDDX) and the latest frigate FFX Batch-III, as well as the AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) radar that acts as Korean supersonic fighter KF-21’s eyes.

Park Hyuk, who heads Hanwha Systems’ DE division, said, “Radar is a core piece of equipment in air defense weapon systems, and we will continue to develop various types of world-class, high-performance radars to ensure that the Korean military can effectively respond to diversifying air threats.”

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