Seoul To Purchase SM-6 Interceptors From US
Seoul, April 26: South Korea will purchase SM-6 missile interceptors from the US amid the North’s continued aggressive stance.
The defence purchase will cost 760 billion won ($606 million), as per a Yonhap news agency report on Tuesday citing the Defence Project Promotion Committee.
Seoul reportedly approved the purchase of the interceptors as part of a foreign military sale program by 2031.
The SM-6 interceptors with a range of up to 460 km are expected to be installed on the South navy’s KDX-III guided-missile destroyers scheduled to be made operational in the next few years.
In addition, the authorities decided to allocate 1.5 trillion won to strengthen the capability of the Korea Tactical Surface-to-Surface Missile (KTSSM).
Under the initiative, the updated KTSSM-II missile based on a transporter elector and launcher will be developed by 2034. In addition, Seoul decided to allocate 960 billion won to modernize UH and HH-60 helicopters, the report added.
Pyongyang carried out several missile tests earlier this year, including an intercontinental ballistic missile in March.
