LIG Defense and Aerospace (LIG D&A) has begun manufacturing prototype examples of the KSAM-II surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) slated for installation on the Republic of Korea Navy's (ROKN) future warships.
The missiles are intended to replace the SM-2 SAMs, which utilise a design that was originally developed in the 1960s.
Each KSAM-II will measure six metres long and will have an active radar seeker head and a maximum speed of Mach five. Manufacture of each example is expected to take around three months and will involve approximately 20 assembly stages.
The missiles can be housed in vertical launch system cells. Among the ships to be fitted with the weapons are the FFX Batch IV or Chungnam-class frigates, which are scheduled to enter service with the ROKN in 2027 and 2028, and the KDDX destroyers, which will follow beginning in 2032.
LIG D&A is the prime contractor for the KSAM-II programme. Development of the missiles is projected to last into the 2030s.