A multifunction radar, vertical launcher, and control center vehicles of the KM-SAM battery. (The Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Korea)
Iraq will reportedly purchase KM-SAM medium-range air defense systems from South Korea in a deal estimated at $2.6 billion.
Arab media first reported on September 11 that the Iraqi government and Korean defense company LIG Nex1 Co. will sign a formal contract on the deal, which will include at least eight systems, next week.
Iraqi Defense Minister Thabet Muhammad Al-Abbasi confirmed the deal to the official Iraqi News Agency on September 12.
“The recently contracted medium-range surface-to-air missile system M-SAM is considered very advanced, as Iraq has reached an agreement based on the directives of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, with the Korean company Elagi and the government of the Republic of South Korea to purchase a number of them to protect Iraqi airspace,” the minister said, noting that “these batteries are scheduled to arrive in Iraq successively over the coming years.”.
“The financing of these systems will be in batches, as they will provide the Air Defense Command with high capabilities due to their importance in supporting national sovereignty and protecting the airspace from any aggression,” he added.
The minister also said that “the first missile battery will arrive next year to begin training Iraqi combat and technical cadres as engineers and technicians on it in the fourth or sixth month of next year in the Republic of South Korea at the manufacturing company.”.
If a deal is signed, Iraq will become the third Middle Eastern country to import the South Korean-made air defense system following the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
The system was developed by the Agency for Defense Development with technical support from Russian air defense giants Almaz-Antey and Fakel, based on technology from the 9M96 missile used on S-350E and S-400 air defense systems.
LIG Nex1 is the main contractor of the air defense system, working in close partnership with other Korean companies. While LIG Nex1 manufactures missiles and integrated systems, Hanwha Systems Co. produces radars and Hanwha Aerospace Co. makes the launchers and vehicles.
The export version of the KM-SAM, also known as Cheolmae II, offers an active electronically scanned array multi-function radar. The system’s latest missile, the Block-II, has a range of 50 kilometers with an engagement altitude of up to 20 kilometers. It also has a hit-to-kill capability which is especially effective against ballistic missiles.
Iraqi air defenses are currently mainly made up of two dozen Pantsir-S short-range air defense systems which Russia delivered in 2016.
Previously, Iraq showed interest in Russia’s S-300 and S-400 long-range air defense systems. Political pressure and threats of sanctions from the United States in addition to financial limits have so far prevented the country from importing such systems.
Iraq’s need for better air defenses became clear last April when Israel launched a strike against Iran through the country’s airspace. Furthermore, Turkey continues to expand its drone operations in northern Iraq. Earlier this month, a Turkish combat drone was downed by an Iraqi Pantsir-S over the province of Kirkuk.
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