Selected as the Developer for a 54.7 Billion KRW Radar Prototype Project
Significantly Enhanced Interception Capability and Defense Range Compared to L-SAM
Hanwha Systems will be responsible for developing the multifunction radar (MFR) in the second phase of the long-range surface-to-air guided missile system (L-SAM) project, known as the "Korean THAAD." L-SAM is an upper-tier defense system among the anti-aircraft weapon systems operated by the South Korean military, capable of tracking and intercepting enemy aircraft and missiles approaching from long distances at an early stage from the ground.
Hanwha Systems' long-range surface-to-air guided missile system L-SAM multifunction radar (MFR) displayed at IDEX 2025 held in Abu Dhabi, UAE, last February. The second phase of the L-SAM project, L-SAM-II, significantly increases the interception altitude compared to the existing L-SAM, expanding the defense range by 3 to 4 times. Hanwha Systems
According to Hanwha Systems on May 27, the company announced that it had been selected the previous day as the developer for the prototype of the L-SAM-II multifunction radar, a project worth 54.7 billion KRW and overseen by the Agency for Defense Development.
The L-SAM-II MFR is designed to enhance upper-tier defense by developing and applying high-precision algorithms, which have significantly extended the detection and tracking range for ballistic missile targets compared to the existing M-SAM-II and L-SAM MFR. The system can distinguish between actual threats and non-threatening objects such as birds or debris, thereby improving operational efficiency. L-SAM is also referred to as the Korean THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) system. The MFR, called the "eyes" of the surface-to-air guided missile system, detects and tracks multiple targets approaching from a distance in real time, identifies friend or foe aircraft, and guides missiles. The distinguishing feature of L-SAM-II is that it significantly increases the interception altitude compared to the existing L-SAM, expanding the defense range by three to four times.
Within the Korean Air and Missile Defense (KAMD) system, L-SAM-II will be the first to intercept incoming enemy ballistic missile threats, followed by the "Korean Patriot" medium-range surface-to-air guided missile system M-SAM-II (Cheongung-II) within its operational range. This layered structure further strengthens KAMD.
Previously, Hanwha Systems developed and supplied the MFRs for the M-SAM (Cheongung), M-SAM-II (Cheongung-II), and L-SAM under the leadership of the Agency for Defense Development. In addition, the company has produced multifunction radars for key South Korean security assets across land, sea, and air, including the multifunction radars for the next-generation Korean destroyer (KDDX), the latest FFX Batch-III frigates, and the AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) radar, which serves as the "eyes" of the Korean supersonic fighter KF-21.
Park Hyuk, Head of the DE Division at Hanwha Systems, stated, "Radar is a core component of air defense weapon systems. We will continue to develop various types of world-class, ultra-high-performance radars so that the South Korean military can respond perfectly to the increasingly diverse air defense threats."
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