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| This May 16, 2021 file photo shows a U.S. military Chinook heavy helicopter taking part in a combined river-crossing exercise with the South Korean military in Yeoju, 61 kilometers east of Seoul. AFP-Yonhap |
South Korea endorsed major defense projects Thursday to domestically develop an electronic warfare aircraft and buy heavy helicopters for special operations, the state arms procurement agency said, as Seoul steps up efforts to counter North Korea's evolving military threats.
The Defense Project Promotion Committee approved a 1.85 trillion-won (US$1.41 billion) plan for the development of the electronic warfare aircraft from 2024-2032 as part of efforts to help lay the groundwork for the country's future electronic warfare response system, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).
Through the aircraft, the country seeks to improve joint operational capabilities and the survivability of air assets by paralyzing and disrupting the enemy's air defenses and its command and communications systems, as well as collect and analyze threat signals from neighboring countries, DAPA said.
The committee also gave the green light to a 3.7 trillion-won plan to buy heavy-lift special operations choppers from overseas from 2024-31, DAPA said, without specifying the number of helicopters to be purchased.
The new aircraft will replace aging special operations choppers and search-and-rescue helicopters used by the Army and the Air Force, respectively, it added.
The choppers that meet the military's requirements include the CH-47F, manufactured by U.S. defense giant Boeing, and rival Lockheed Martin's CH-53K, a DAPA official told reporters on condition of anonymity.
The committee also approved a plan worth 610 billion won to develop a ship-to-ground ballistic missile through local research from next year to 2036. The missile is expected to deter potential enemy threats and allow for early response against nuclear and ballistic missile threats from North Korea, DAPA said.
It also endorsed a basic five-year plan for the development of the arms industry, outlining its general policy directions and tasks through 2027. (Yonhap)
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