LIG Nex1 displayed a scale model of its LAMD system at the DX Korea 2022 exhibition in Goyang. (Janes/Jon Grevatt)
South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) has announced the official start of its programme to develop its Low Altitude Missile Defence (LAMD) system to defend the country from North Korean artillery attack.
DAPA said on 20 January that it held a meeting to formally start LAMD development, with the work to be undertaken by its subsidiary – the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) – in partnership with local firms LIG Nex1, Hanwha Aerospace, and Hanwha Systems.
DAPA said the development programme will receive funding worth KRW479.8 billion (USD331 million) through 2028, but did not elaborate.
ADD and LIG Nex1 started initial development of LAMD in early 2022. One year later DAPA announced it had finalised the development of core LAMD technologies and in 2024 DAPA revealed an accelerated timeline to conclude the LAMD development programme by 2028.
LAMD is envisaged as a system to engage with multiple artillery targets. It is expected to be capable of intercepting targets at an altitude of 5 km and has a forecast range of 15 km. The LAMD missile is 165 mm in diameter and features an active radar seeker for terminal guidance. An LAMD battery consists of a radar, an engagement control centre, a launcher, and an interceptor missile.
Neither DAPA, LIG Nex1, or Hanwha had responded to Janes at the time of publication.
For more information, please seeSouth Korea accelerates low-altitude missile defence system development .
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