Military
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S. Korea to carry out localization program for home-made ground laser target designators
SEOUL -- South Korea's arms procurement agency has partnered with Hancom Lifecare, a safety equipment-making wing of South Korea's Hancom Group, to jointly carry out a localization program for South Korean ground laser target designators. Ground laser target designators (GLTDs) are pointing devices that are used to designate a target like an armored vehicle or military facility using a laser. When a target is designated, laser-guided weapons such as bombs and missiles will
23 June 2023
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Hyundai shipbuilding group launches large-sized frigate capable of detecting targets in all directions
SEOUL -- South Korea's Hyundai shipbuilding group launched a new 3,600-ton frigate armed with a multifunction phased array radar capable of detecting and responding to targets in all directions. Through the adoption of the ship called "ROKS Chungnam," South Korea's Navy can upgrade its defense capability from various types of threats such as aircraft and submarines. ROKS Chungnam is the first frigate developed as a state project to build a total of six frigates we
10 April 2023
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S. Korea's homemade fighter jet KF-21 succeeds in short-range weapons separation test
SEOUL -- The second prototype of South Korea's homemade fighter jet KF-21 succeeded in its weapons separation test using a missile designed for short-range battles. The test was carried out to check changes in aircraft structure, engine, and aerodynamic features in case of separating various types of weapons. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) unveiled a video on YouTube showing the prototype firing a short-range missile called "AIM-2000" over t
6 April 2023
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State arms procurement agency denies news reports on mass-production plan for fighter jet KF-21 in 2024
SEOUL -- South Korea's arms procurement agency has denied major domestic media outlets' reports on its mass-production plan for the homemade fighter jet KF-21, saying that the schedule has not been confirmed. Media outlets including Yonhap News Agency reported that the agency aims to sign the mass-production contract in the first half of 2024 after carrying out the feasibility study for three months starting in May 2023. "The project's feasibility study per
24 March 2023
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S. Korea's arms procurement agency discusses cooperation in defense sector with U.S. think tank
SEOUL -- South Korea's arms procurement agency has discussed cooperation methods with the United States at a conference held in Washington D.C. At the annual meeting, government and industry officials from both countries brought up the U.S. Defense Department's foreign comparative testing program, which demonstrates various items and technologies of U.S. allies to see if they could be adopted by the U.S. armed forces. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA)
17 March 2023
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S. Korea to establish drone operations command headquarters in 2023
SEOUL -- South Korea will establish a drone operations command headquarters that will manage the operation of unmanned aerial vehicles that play the role of compact-sized attack aircraft and reconnaissance airplanes, the Ministry of Defense said. The blueprint for the drone-specialized division was originally revealed in January. The defense ministry's announcement was made about three months after the airspace of Seoul and its northern satellite cities were breached by a handf
8 March 2023
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Malaysia signs $920 million deal to buy South Korean light jet fighters
SEOUL -- Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), South Korea's sole aircraft maker, has secured a deal worth $920 million (1.2 trillion won) to deliver 18 light fighter jets called "FA-50" to Malaysia starting in 2026. KAI said in a press release February 24 that FA-50 was selected as the preferred bidder by Malaysia's defense ministry among six light fighters that include Russia's MIG-35, Turkey's Hurizet and India's Tejas. Malaysia has become the sixth Sou
24 February 2023
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S. Korea's first two-seater fighter jet KF-21 succeeds 34-minute maiden flight
SEOUL -- The fourth prototype of South Korea's homemade fighter jet KF-21 successfully conducted its flight about seven months after the first prototype made its 33-minute maiden flight in July 2022. The first two-seater fighter jet will be used for various missions such as testing the performance of a computer-controlled array antenna system that determines the survival of fighter jets in a combat situation. According to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA),
20 February 2023