Korean Anti-Air Missile to Debut

Sophisticated portable anti-air missiles developed with the country¡¯s own technology will be deployed in the military next month after passing a trial test successfully, a state-run defense agency said last Friday.

A spokesman for the Defense Quality Assurance Agency said the anti-air missiles, called “God¡¯s Bow,¡¯¡¯ succeeded in hitting a low-flying target during a trial test last Friday at a site off the West Coast.

“This successful test proves the high quality of God¡¯s Bows, which is set to be deployed in the field,¡¯¡¯ said the spokesman. “I¡¯ sure God¡¯s Bows will contribute to upgrading the nation¡¯s air defense capabilities to a great extent.¡¯¡¯

The Agency for Defense Development (ADD), a state-run research institute, is in charge of the Korean anti-air missile system, dubbed “KP-SAM,¡¯¡¯ in partnership with major domestic defense equipment companies.

The ADD plans to produce hundreds of God¡¯s Bows every year for active service starting next month, ADD officials said.

The maximum range of the God¡¯s Bow is seven kilometers with the rate of hitting hovering above 90 percent. The main target of the missile is low-flying aircrafts.

To build a cooperative self-reliant defense posture, the Defense Ministry plans to buy foreign anti-air missile systems by 2008 under a five-year arms build-up program, codenamed “SAM-X.¡±

In July, the ministry discussed plans to purchase second-hand German Patriot missiles with a senior German defense official to replace the country¡¯s aging arsenal of Nike Hercules missiles.

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