Defense industry officials said Tuesday that the United Arab Emirates’ imported Cheongung-II medium-range surface-to-air missile system was believed to have intercepted multiple Iranian missiles during the conflict. With forecasts that Iran could fire ballistic missiles toward countries near U.S. forces, the UAE fielded the system operationally. The UAE’s air defense network is reported to include U.S.-made Patriot, Israel-made Arrow and South Korea-made Cheongung-II systems. The UAE military said its overall interception rate across its air defense systems was above 90%.
Often described as a South Korean version of the Patriot, Cheongung-II is a medium-range surface-to-air guided missile system jointly produced by LIG Nex1, Hanwha Aerospace and Hanwha Systems. If wartime demand accelerates local operational deployment, related sales are expected to begin being reflected from this year.
The program is a large-scale “K-one team” effort among major South Korean defense firms. LIG Nex1 handles system integration and the operations control center; Hanwha Systems supplies the multifunction radar; Hanwha Aerospace provides launchers and munitions; and Kia supplies the vehicle platform.
Cheongung-II is widely reported to cost about half as much as the U.S. Patriot, helping it gain traction in the Middle East, where demand for guided missiles is high. The push by some countries to reduce reliance on a single arms supplier has also supported the growing presence of South Korean defense exports.
Chae Un-saem, an analyst at Hana Securities, said Lockheed Martin’s Patriot PAC-3 surface-to-air missiles have an annual production capacity of about 600 rounds despite plans to increase output. She said the unit price is $4 million, making it more than twice as expensive as Cheongung.
South Korea recently signed a $35 billion memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation with the UAE, raising expectations for additional exports. The details were not disclosed, but market observers have predicted it could include sizable contracts for medium- and long-range weapons to build a layered air defense network.
Experts said exports by South Korean defense companies could continue to expand if regional insecurity persists.
Nam Myeong-ryeol, head of Korea University’s K-Defense Industry Center, said tensions are rising as Iran attacks not only Israel but also multiple areas where U.S. forces are stationed. He said more Middle Eastern countries are likely to seek South Korean weapons that combine performance and price competitiveness with fast delivery and sustainment support.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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