South Korea endorsed major defense projects Thursday to domestically develop an electronic warfare aircraft and buy heavy helicopters for special operations, the state arms procurement agency said, as Seoul steps up efforts to counter North Korea's evolving military threats.
The Defense Project Promotion Committee approved a 1.85 trillion-won (US$1.41 billion) plan for the development of the electronic warfare aircraft from 2024-2032 as part of efforts to help lay the groundwork for the country's future electronic warfare response system, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).
Through the aircraft, the country seeks to improve joint operational capabilities and the survivability of air assets by paralyzing and disrupting the enemy's air defenses and its command and communications systems, as well as collect and analyze threat signals from neighboring countries, DAPA said.
The committee also gave the green light to a 3.7 trillion-won plan to buy heavy choppers from overseas from 2024-2031, DAPA said, without specifying the number or model of helicopters to be purchased.
The new aircraft will replace aging special operations choppers and search-and-rescue helicopters used by the Army and the Air Force, respectively, it added.
The committee also approved a plan worth 610 billion won to develop a ship-to-ground ballistic missile through local research from next year to 2036. The missile is expected to deter potential enemy threats and allow for early response against nuclear and ballistic missile threats from North Korea, DAPA said.
It also endorsed a basic five-year plan for the development of the arms industry, outlining its general policy directions and tasks through 2027.
Source: Yonhap News Agency