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Tshering22
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It is an ideal jet for the Koreans to acquire. Since their jet fighter won't be in until the end of this decade, they will need some replacements of the oldest F-15 variants they have.
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BordoEnes
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S.Korean U214 on 20 month long repair
Interesting as with Greek (German subs) introduction is to say at least painful.
Sound and AIP engine reliability has put her effectively out of operations for at least 20 months.
Perhaps our Korean friends here can share more light on it.
::SBS::[
the heroes of the Korean War Admiral's sonwonil namesake state-of-the-art flagship submarine sonwonil 'two unexplained failure to operations in the 20 months are missing. Reporters operation of our naval power is disrupted. Taehoon Kim alone is reported
Interesting as with Greek (German subs) introduction is to say at least painful.
Sound and AIP engine reliability has put her effectively out of operations for at least 20 months.
Perhaps our Korean friends here can share more light on it.
::SBS::[
the heroes of the Korean War Admiral's sonwonil namesake state-of-the-art flagship submarine sonwonil 'two unexplained failure to operations in the 20 months are missing. Reporters operation of our naval power is disrupted. Taehoon Kim alone is reported
octopusonhead
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I think SK got screwed on the deal of buying the U214, all they seem to be running into is problems.
Hafizzz
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Is South Korea Stealing U.S. Military Secrets?
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/10/28/is_south_korea_stealing_us_military_secrets
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel watched a live-fire exercise in South Korea last month in which American and Korean tanks operated side-by-side in a display of military might between two trusted partners fond of describing theirs as a "blood alliance."
But just beneath that relationship's surface is a growing unease. South Korea, one of America's strongest partners in East Asia, is aggressively targeting U.S. advanced technology for its own use in a variety of Korean weapons programs, Foreign Policy has learned. From anti-ship missiles, electronic warfare equipment, torpedoes, a multiple-launch rocket system, and even components on a Korean-made Aegis destroyer, the United States is concerned about the uncanny resemblance those systems bear to American weaponry. Even the tanks Hagel watched on the range that day may be partial knock-offs: The Korean models have fire control systems that appear to be all-but-identical to the American versions.
Though the United States long has had systems in place to monitor technology-sharing with allies, the case with South Korea has become particularly acute in the last few years. As the United States pivots East and Asia's once sleepy defense industries begin to awaken, it has quietly begun to scrutinize its technology-sharing relationships with such allies, conducting secret but robust "dialogues" -- diplomatic-speak for a series of private exchanges on tech-sharing between the two countries -- to ensure that American secrets stay that way.
That's particularly true of South Korea, which on Sept. 30 celebrated the 60-year anniversary of the mutual defense treaty with the United States. The Koreans hosted Hagel for two large military parades, followed by a gala evening event with fruit drinks the color of the Korean flag, glowing speeches about the alliance, and much talk of katchi kapshida -- "we stand together."
But the United States is watching closely as the South Korean defense industry shoots for a larger market share. The country is gaining a reputation for gleaning as much as it can from American advanced technology, exploiting any opening it sees. The very fact that discussions are underway with South Korea is a sign of the level of concern, an administration official says. As the Obama White House counters mounting worries among European allies that it is listening in on top leaders' conversations, the United States is also scrambling to make sure South Korea isn't absconding with the secrets that have made American defense platforms world-class.
The South Koreans are known for making knock-offs and improving upon them. But from a variety of Korean-made sensor equipment, anti-ship missiles, and electronic warfare systems, the United States sees the Koreans going after American technology and, potentially, copycatting it.
"They are very good at taking full advantage of any loopholes with any type of agreement," a former government official who worked in Seoul told FP.
That's problematic on several levels. Not only could Seoul sell its newly-acquired advanced weaponry to another country that could use it against American interests, but proprietary American technologies could be sold by other countries to undermine the American defense industry. That would come just as the U.S. industry confronts the biggest shrinkage of Pentagon dollars in more than a decade and is looking to diversify its markets overseas.
Hagel stood there that day at the Rodriguez Live Fire Complex in Korea with his senior military assistant, Lt. Gen. Robert "Abe" Abrams, after whose father the famous American tank was named. The South Koreans's K1 tank was based on the design of the Abrams, but the Koreans have added their own touches, from a hydro-pneumatic suspension and torsion bars to a fording kit for crossing rivers. The newest version of the K1 tank, the K1A1, possesses upgrades that include a 120mm smoothbore gun, updated electronics, and a top-of-the-line fire control system to improve accuracy and effectiveness. But the irony of the joint exercise designed to put the relationship on display may not have escaped either Hagel or Abrams as they stood there that day. American officials fear that fire control system aboard the K1A1 tank is essentially a rip-off of its own technology, which, if true, would represent a theft of a sensitive -- and marketable -- capability.
Ditto for the Koreans's Haesung anti-ship missile, first developed in the late 1990s to be better than the American-made Harpoon anti-ship missile. Again, American defense officials have raised concerns with the Koreans that the technology upon which the Harpoon missile is based is very similar to the American technology.
The relationship between the United States and South Korea on the point of technology-sharing is extremely sensitive, so much so that a number of outside experts who would normally speak to such an issue refused to do so or would only talk privately out of a fear of insulting a trusted ally. Kath Hicks, the former principal deputy undersecretary of defense at the Pentagon until leaving earlier this year, summed it up: "The alliance is incredibly important to us and it's incredibly important to them, and there are things about friendships that are best discussed in private."
But leaks within the South Korean news media recently indicated South Korea has begun to use its press to take swipes at the United States. One story in August in Hankook Ilbo suggested South Korea faced a backlash from the United States: "The United States has reportedly launched an investigation into whether the ROK has stolen U.S. military technologies in developing its weapons," the story said. "Observers speculate the United States may intend to put the brakes on the ROK's growing weapons exports."
Speaking to the issue for the first time, American officials dismiss the idea of a series of "investigations," but do say that as they look to the evident ambitions of South Korea's defense industry, they must be extremely wary. The concerns with South Korea come at a critical time for the United States. It is attempting to display its commitment to the Asia-Pacific, spending billions of dollars to do so. But it is also relying on its regional partners to take responsibility for more and more of the security needs in the region as its defense dollars shrink. That means the demand for U.S. technology and weapons systems are growing. But so is the suspicion that as some allies' defense industries mature, standing too close to them -- and sharing too much technology -- poses a significant risk. The fears about South Korea's demand for weapons technology are not new. Direct evidence that the country is stealing American technology is hard to come by, but the suspicions harbored by U.S. officials are so pronounced that a senior Pentagon official was willing to take the unusual step of speaking on the record to FP about them.
"We need people to have good capabilities," said Beth McCormick, the head of the Pentagon's Defense Technology Security Administration, or DTSA, in an interview in her office a few miles from the Pentagon. "But at the same time, when we provide that technology, the United States has the perspective that we want to make sure that it is used for the purpose for which we provide it." McCormick would not discuss any specific platforms on which DTSA is applying additional scrutiny, saying only that the United States is in a robust "dialogue" with Korea and must ensure that the technologies it shares, even with trusted allies, are properly safeguarded. "We really want to have an advanced dialogue with Korea because we saw the fact that Korea has definitely made it very clear that they want to have a bigger, indigenous defense industry," McCormick said.
Right now, the dialogue between the two countries is focused heavily on the potential sale of the advanced F-35 Joint Strike Fighter to the South Koreans. American officials are putting into place a strict security agreement to ensure that nothing is shared, either with the wrong people, or for use by a buyer of a Korean-made copycat for Korea's own competitive purposes. The South Koreans are interested in the F-35, but their interest comes at the same time as South Korea's bid to build its own stealth jet, raising bureaucratic eyebrows in the United States. It could be the equivalent of South Korea taking a fighter jet on a test drive, as it were, flying it around the corner to kick its tires, only then to return it to the dealership and say it's not interested, but first looking under the hood and taking some pictures.
"If any country is taking our JSF around the corner to try to exploit it, that's going to be a real problem," McCormick said.
Under the Arms Export Control Act, allies can re-sell certain American technologies but only after approval from the U.S. State Department that the country is in compliance with the "end use" of that technology.
The United States can't be too careful, McCormick said. If, in the future, the U.S. government sees that its technology has been exploited, that will have a deleterious effect on the technology-sharing relationship with that country, she said. "If we have any information or any evidence that there are issues out there, it immediately raises concerns for us, and depending upon what we think about it, it might affect what type of technology we might provide in the future," she said.
The Koreans have been receptive, McCormick said, creating a government agency similar to her own to monitor and protect the technology. But there remains a worry about that agency's independence since it falls under another one that is helping to promote the South Korean defense industry -- a matter, in effect, of the fox guarding the henhouse.
None of these concerns surprises U.S. government officials who have worked Korea issues. The former government official who worked in Seoul but who would only speak on background said the South Koreans have an aggressive stance toward technology as they build their defense business. And while it's unclear if they are stealing American secrets, they'll do whatever is possible. "If they thought they would have a really good chance of getting away with it? Probably," the former official said. Unlike France or Israel, South Korea has never had a reputation like other American allies for being overly aggressive as an economic spy. But as its ambitions for its defense industry grow, experts who know South Korea note that Seoul has long had an appetite for American secrets. It paid former U.S. Navy intelligence analyst Robert Kim to slide the government critical intelligence in the late 1990s. Kim was caught and sentenced to 10 years in prison in 1997. Such practice is a fact of life, the former U.S. government official said. "Friends spy on friends," the individual as much as shrugged.
In May 2011, Young Su Kim, a former vice president at a Colorado-based firm, Rocky Mountain Instrument Company, helped in the illegal export to South Korea of military technical data for prisms that are used in guidance or targeting systems in unmanned aerial vehicles, AC-130 gunships, tanks, and missile systems. He was sentenced to five years behind bars, according to data provided by the Department of Justice.
And in 2010, Juwhan Yun, a naturalized American citizen of Korean orgin was sentenced to 57 months in prison after pleading guilty to attempting to illegally export to South Korea components for a 20mm gun and a Russian fighter jet, RD-180 rocket propulsion systems, and other technology without the State Department's approval. He was arrested the year before in Florida and later indicted for attempting to purchase rocket materials for a company working on the Korean Satellite Launch Vehicle, according to the Justice Department. Yun had also been convicted in 1989 of conspiracy for violating the Arms Export Control Act in connection to exporting 500 quarter-ton bombs of sarin gas to Iran, none of which made it to its final destination, according to data provided by Justice.
Driven by its fears of aggression from the North -- as well as its strong desire to export its wares -- South Korea has never kept secret its ambitions to build an indigenous defense business. Seoul has marketed its defense products not only in Asia but in Europe and even the United States. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute ranks South Korea as 16th in arms exporters globally under the top six: the United States, Russia, Germany, France, China, and Britain.
"They are minor league," said Siemon Wezeman, a senior researcher at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. "Medium league at best." But, Wezeman said, they are extremely active, marketing their defense products around the world. "They have big hopes for more arms sales, and if you believe them, they will be in a couple of years at the same level as Israel, Germany, and France," he said, adding the caveat: "It's probably a bit overly optimistic."
South Korea put itself on the map late last year when Norway made overtures toward South Korea to build a conventional submarine. Much of the technology upon which such a platform is based comes from the Germans. But the sub is an example of Korean innovation. Unlike the Japanese, who are seen in many ways as imitators, the Koreans are themselves more inventive, taking what they glean from other exporters and improving upon it.
"Don't underestimate the Koreans," Wezeman said. "They are quite capable of doing very advanced things themselves."
Many experts believe that South Korea uses the threat posed by North Korea to build its own defense industry -- and justify drawing American advanced technology closer. Within South Korea, the country sees itself as a developed ally of the United States, but as its defense industry inches its way onto the global stage, it feels increasingly entitled to obtain the best, most advanced technology available. That may be coming at the expense of the United States, which is viewed differently within Korea by different generations. The Korean War-era generation views the United States as a strong partner, the one that helped win the war and for whom loyalty is paramount. But a younger, more tech-savvy generation is growing up in a Korea that sees itself as, at least one day, a peer competitor.
At the same time, South Korea isn't completely sure of itself when it comes to operational control of forces on the Peninsula. Currently, the United States retains authority over all forces in South Korea. If there was a significant provocation from North Korea, for example, the U.S. commander in South Korea would assume control not only of his own 28,000-person force, but South Korea's as well. The United States for years has wanted to hand over operational control of those forces to its ally. But so far that hasn't worked. Efforts to formalize the transfer of control, in 2009 and again in 2012, never went through. Currently, that formal transfer is scheduled for 2015, but again, the South Koreans want to delay it.
Strategically, the South Koreans are still very much dependent on the United States. But when it comes to defense exports, the country is emerging as one ready to move out of the nest. And the United States is worried the student has access to too many of the teacher's lesson plans.
"Now they are on the level of where they can be competitive with us," says the former government official. "At what point does the student become the teacher?"
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/10/28/is_south_korea_stealing_us_military_secrets
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel watched a live-fire exercise in South Korea last month in which American and Korean tanks operated side-by-side in a display of military might between two trusted partners fond of describing theirs as a "blood alliance."
But just beneath that relationship's surface is a growing unease. South Korea, one of America's strongest partners in East Asia, is aggressively targeting U.S. advanced technology for its own use in a variety of Korean weapons programs, Foreign Policy has learned. From anti-ship missiles, electronic warfare equipment, torpedoes, a multiple-launch rocket system, and even components on a Korean-made Aegis destroyer, the United States is concerned about the uncanny resemblance those systems bear to American weaponry. Even the tanks Hagel watched on the range that day may be partial knock-offs: The Korean models have fire control systems that appear to be all-but-identical to the American versions.
Though the United States long has had systems in place to monitor technology-sharing with allies, the case with South Korea has become particularly acute in the last few years. As the United States pivots East and Asia's once sleepy defense industries begin to awaken, it has quietly begun to scrutinize its technology-sharing relationships with such allies, conducting secret but robust "dialogues" -- diplomatic-speak for a series of private exchanges on tech-sharing between the two countries -- to ensure that American secrets stay that way.
That's particularly true of South Korea, which on Sept. 30 celebrated the 60-year anniversary of the mutual defense treaty with the United States. The Koreans hosted Hagel for two large military parades, followed by a gala evening event with fruit drinks the color of the Korean flag, glowing speeches about the alliance, and much talk of katchi kapshida -- "we stand together."
But the United States is watching closely as the South Korean defense industry shoots for a larger market share. The country is gaining a reputation for gleaning as much as it can from American advanced technology, exploiting any opening it sees. The very fact that discussions are underway with South Korea is a sign of the level of concern, an administration official says. As the Obama White House counters mounting worries among European allies that it is listening in on top leaders' conversations, the United States is also scrambling to make sure South Korea isn't absconding with the secrets that have made American defense platforms world-class.
The South Koreans are known for making knock-offs and improving upon them. But from a variety of Korean-made sensor equipment, anti-ship missiles, and electronic warfare systems, the United States sees the Koreans going after American technology and, potentially, copycatting it.
"They are very good at taking full advantage of any loopholes with any type of agreement," a former government official who worked in Seoul told FP.
That's problematic on several levels. Not only could Seoul sell its newly-acquired advanced weaponry to another country that could use it against American interests, but proprietary American technologies could be sold by other countries to undermine the American defense industry. That would come just as the U.S. industry confronts the biggest shrinkage of Pentagon dollars in more than a decade and is looking to diversify its markets overseas.
Hagel stood there that day at the Rodriguez Live Fire Complex in Korea with his senior military assistant, Lt. Gen. Robert "Abe" Abrams, after whose father the famous American tank was named. The South Koreans's K1 tank was based on the design of the Abrams, but the Koreans have added their own touches, from a hydro-pneumatic suspension and torsion bars to a fording kit for crossing rivers. The newest version of the K1 tank, the K1A1, possesses upgrades that include a 120mm smoothbore gun, updated electronics, and a top-of-the-line fire control system to improve accuracy and effectiveness. But the irony of the joint exercise designed to put the relationship on display may not have escaped either Hagel or Abrams as they stood there that day. American officials fear that fire control system aboard the K1A1 tank is essentially a rip-off of its own technology, which, if true, would represent a theft of a sensitive -- and marketable -- capability.
Ditto for the Koreans's Haesung anti-ship missile, first developed in the late 1990s to be better than the American-made Harpoon anti-ship missile. Again, American defense officials have raised concerns with the Koreans that the technology upon which the Harpoon missile is based is very similar to the American technology.
The relationship between the United States and South Korea on the point of technology-sharing is extremely sensitive, so much so that a number of outside experts who would normally speak to such an issue refused to do so or would only talk privately out of a fear of insulting a trusted ally. Kath Hicks, the former principal deputy undersecretary of defense at the Pentagon until leaving earlier this year, summed it up: "The alliance is incredibly important to us and it's incredibly important to them, and there are things about friendships that are best discussed in private."
But leaks within the South Korean news media recently indicated South Korea has begun to use its press to take swipes at the United States. One story in August in Hankook Ilbo suggested South Korea faced a backlash from the United States: "The United States has reportedly launched an investigation into whether the ROK has stolen U.S. military technologies in developing its weapons," the story said. "Observers speculate the United States may intend to put the brakes on the ROK's growing weapons exports."
Speaking to the issue for the first time, American officials dismiss the idea of a series of "investigations," but do say that as they look to the evident ambitions of South Korea's defense industry, they must be extremely wary. The concerns with South Korea come at a critical time for the United States. It is attempting to display its commitment to the Asia-Pacific, spending billions of dollars to do so. But it is also relying on its regional partners to take responsibility for more and more of the security needs in the region as its defense dollars shrink. That means the demand for U.S. technology and weapons systems are growing. But so is the suspicion that as some allies' defense industries mature, standing too close to them -- and sharing too much technology -- poses a significant risk. The fears about South Korea's demand for weapons technology are not new. Direct evidence that the country is stealing American technology is hard to come by, but the suspicions harbored by U.S. officials are so pronounced that a senior Pentagon official was willing to take the unusual step of speaking on the record to FP about them.
"We need people to have good capabilities," said Beth McCormick, the head of the Pentagon's Defense Technology Security Administration, or DTSA, in an interview in her office a few miles from the Pentagon. "But at the same time, when we provide that technology, the United States has the perspective that we want to make sure that it is used for the purpose for which we provide it." McCormick would not discuss any specific platforms on which DTSA is applying additional scrutiny, saying only that the United States is in a robust "dialogue" with Korea and must ensure that the technologies it shares, even with trusted allies, are properly safeguarded. "We really want to have an advanced dialogue with Korea because we saw the fact that Korea has definitely made it very clear that they want to have a bigger, indigenous defense industry," McCormick said.
Right now, the dialogue between the two countries is focused heavily on the potential sale of the advanced F-35 Joint Strike Fighter to the South Koreans. American officials are putting into place a strict security agreement to ensure that nothing is shared, either with the wrong people, or for use by a buyer of a Korean-made copycat for Korea's own competitive purposes. The South Koreans are interested in the F-35, but their interest comes at the same time as South Korea's bid to build its own stealth jet, raising bureaucratic eyebrows in the United States. It could be the equivalent of South Korea taking a fighter jet on a test drive, as it were, flying it around the corner to kick its tires, only then to return it to the dealership and say it's not interested, but first looking under the hood and taking some pictures.
"If any country is taking our JSF around the corner to try to exploit it, that's going to be a real problem," McCormick said.
Under the Arms Export Control Act, allies can re-sell certain American technologies but only after approval from the U.S. State Department that the country is in compliance with the "end use" of that technology.
The United States can't be too careful, McCormick said. If, in the future, the U.S. government sees that its technology has been exploited, that will have a deleterious effect on the technology-sharing relationship with that country, she said. "If we have any information or any evidence that there are issues out there, it immediately raises concerns for us, and depending upon what we think about it, it might affect what type of technology we might provide in the future," she said.
The Koreans have been receptive, McCormick said, creating a government agency similar to her own to monitor and protect the technology. But there remains a worry about that agency's independence since it falls under another one that is helping to promote the South Korean defense industry -- a matter, in effect, of the fox guarding the henhouse.
None of these concerns surprises U.S. government officials who have worked Korea issues. The former government official who worked in Seoul but who would only speak on background said the South Koreans have an aggressive stance toward technology as they build their defense business. And while it's unclear if they are stealing American secrets, they'll do whatever is possible. "If they thought they would have a really good chance of getting away with it? Probably," the former official said. Unlike France or Israel, South Korea has never had a reputation like other American allies for being overly aggressive as an economic spy. But as its ambitions for its defense industry grow, experts who know South Korea note that Seoul has long had an appetite for American secrets. It paid former U.S. Navy intelligence analyst Robert Kim to slide the government critical intelligence in the late 1990s. Kim was caught and sentenced to 10 years in prison in 1997. Such practice is a fact of life, the former U.S. government official said. "Friends spy on friends," the individual as much as shrugged.
In May 2011, Young Su Kim, a former vice president at a Colorado-based firm, Rocky Mountain Instrument Company, helped in the illegal export to South Korea of military technical data for prisms that are used in guidance or targeting systems in unmanned aerial vehicles, AC-130 gunships, tanks, and missile systems. He was sentenced to five years behind bars, according to data provided by the Department of Justice.
And in 2010, Juwhan Yun, a naturalized American citizen of Korean orgin was sentenced to 57 months in prison after pleading guilty to attempting to illegally export to South Korea components for a 20mm gun and a Russian fighter jet, RD-180 rocket propulsion systems, and other technology without the State Department's approval. He was arrested the year before in Florida and later indicted for attempting to purchase rocket materials for a company working on the Korean Satellite Launch Vehicle, according to the Justice Department. Yun had also been convicted in 1989 of conspiracy for violating the Arms Export Control Act in connection to exporting 500 quarter-ton bombs of sarin gas to Iran, none of which made it to its final destination, according to data provided by Justice.
Driven by its fears of aggression from the North -- as well as its strong desire to export its wares -- South Korea has never kept secret its ambitions to build an indigenous defense business. Seoul has marketed its defense products not only in Asia but in Europe and even the United States. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute ranks South Korea as 16th in arms exporters globally under the top six: the United States, Russia, Germany, France, China, and Britain.
"They are minor league," said Siemon Wezeman, a senior researcher at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. "Medium league at best." But, Wezeman said, they are extremely active, marketing their defense products around the world. "They have big hopes for more arms sales, and if you believe them, they will be in a couple of years at the same level as Israel, Germany, and France," he said, adding the caveat: "It's probably a bit overly optimistic."
South Korea put itself on the map late last year when Norway made overtures toward South Korea to build a conventional submarine. Much of the technology upon which such a platform is based comes from the Germans. But the sub is an example of Korean innovation. Unlike the Japanese, who are seen in many ways as imitators, the Koreans are themselves more inventive, taking what they glean from other exporters and improving upon it.
"Don't underestimate the Koreans," Wezeman said. "They are quite capable of doing very advanced things themselves."
Many experts believe that South Korea uses the threat posed by North Korea to build its own defense industry -- and justify drawing American advanced technology closer. Within South Korea, the country sees itself as a developed ally of the United States, but as its defense industry inches its way onto the global stage, it feels increasingly entitled to obtain the best, most advanced technology available. That may be coming at the expense of the United States, which is viewed differently within Korea by different generations. The Korean War-era generation views the United States as a strong partner, the one that helped win the war and for whom loyalty is paramount. But a younger, more tech-savvy generation is growing up in a Korea that sees itself as, at least one day, a peer competitor.
At the same time, South Korea isn't completely sure of itself when it comes to operational control of forces on the Peninsula. Currently, the United States retains authority over all forces in South Korea. If there was a significant provocation from North Korea, for example, the U.S. commander in South Korea would assume control not only of his own 28,000-person force, but South Korea's as well. The United States for years has wanted to hand over operational control of those forces to its ally. But so far that hasn't worked. Efforts to formalize the transfer of control, in 2009 and again in 2012, never went through. Currently, that formal transfer is scheduled for 2015, but again, the South Koreans want to delay it.
Strategically, the South Koreans are still very much dependent on the United States. But when it comes to defense exports, the country is emerging as one ready to move out of the nest. And the United States is worried the student has access to too many of the teacher's lesson plans.
"Now they are on the level of where they can be competitive with us," says the former government official. "At what point does the student become the teacher?"
Black Eagle 90
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Can Korea will do JV if KSA, UAE, Jordan as to join in for MBTs, Self Propelled Howetzers, Wheeled and Tracked APCs along with Electrical and Electronics development.
Also Koreans can help these countries to start up their own Automotive industries as well.
Also Koreans can help these countries to start up their own Automotive industries as well.
Al Bhatti
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I also say so, but Pakistanis say we should not compare ourselves with Japan or Korea. We cannot be like them. Probably they are the chosen ones by the god to be prosperous and their genes have something which Pakistanis don't have.
Hakan
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As far as I know no.
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Indus Falcon
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Pining for Control: South Korea’s KAMD
National Ballistic Missile Defense System
May 27, 201418:48 UTC by Defense Industry Daily staff
South Korea continues to modernize its forces, and take steps toward full sovereign control of its defenses. PAC-2 GEM+ missileswere orderedin 2008 to be operational in 2010 and fully in place by 2012. South Korea doesn’t appear to be aiming as high as Japan, with its license-produced Patriot PAC-3s and long-range naval SM-3 systems, but medium range SM-2 Block IIIA/B missiles fired from ROKNKDX-III destroyersdo offer another limited option for the ROK’s coastal cities.
As countries like the UAE have been quick to recognize, turning a series of point defenses into a cohesive system that can respond in time requires long-range detection, and strong regional command-and-control systems. Now, a key contract has been signed, as South Korea prepares to field its Air and Missile Defense Cell (AMD-Cell) radars and command system.
Contracts and Key Events
Note that this article doesn’t cover every South Korean BMD purchase. It focuses on the core AMD-Cell command and control system, key radars, and overall assessments. Beyond that, it notes key milestones and decisions that may involve weapons within KAMD, like PATRIOT missiles, KDX-III destroyers, etc. Links to in-depth coverage of more specific systems are provided in the “Additional Readings” section.
2010 – 2014
North Korea is believed to have deployed more than 600 short-range Scud missiles with a 320-500 km range, and around 200 Rodong missiles with a 1,300 km range.
May 26/14: KAMD.Marcin Andrzej Piotrowski looks at past and current regional tensions are preventing South Korea from fully participating in an integrated missile defense network with Japan and the US. The tensions have also prompted Seoul to modernize its defense industry, and to collaborate with Russia and Israel instead. It also has a good summary of KAMD’s current state and plans, though it fails to pay much attention to KM-SAM program efforts with Russia:
“Since 2006, Seoul has been working on low-altitude defence, the Korea Air and Missile Defence (KAMD), which would initially cost $3 billion. This is currently based on the Israeli C3I Citron Tree system and two Green Pine early warning radars. Since 2009, KAMD has included eight strategic location batteries with 48 launchers and 192 PAC-2 GEM-T missiles. Negotiations about the delivery of an additional 112 PAC-2 missiles from the U.S. are ongoing (at a cost of $404 million). Between 2008 and 2012, ROK Navy also received three modern KDX-III Sejong-class destroyers with Aegis systems and SM-2 missiles…. In the context of the growing threat, ROK has decided to augment KAMD further between 2016 and 2020, with American PAC-3 missile interceptors ($1.3 billion). Seoul is planning another three Sejong-class destroyers with SM-6 missiles, more advanced than the SM-2s. It is possible that Seoul will decide to buy more capable missile defence systems, such as THAADs, SM-3s, Arrows, or even S-400s. Due to the scale of the rocket threat, the large area of Seoul and the costs of interceptors, procurement of the Israeli Iron Dome system is much less likely. However, ROK is planning to buy 10 RPS-42 TASRS Israeli radars ($191 million) in the near future, for detecting drones and cruise missiles at very low altitude.”
Sources: ISN, “South Korea’s Air and Missile Defence: Below the Threat Level”.
April 28/14: PATRIOT.South Korea’s defense establishment formally confirms their intent to upgrade existing PATRIOT systems to PAC-3/Config-3 status (q.v. March 12/14). The budget is WON 1.3 – 1.4 trillion (about $1.25 billion), and they aim to deploy the system between 2016 – 2020. Sources: The Korea Herald, “Seoul to upgrade missile defense”.
PATRIOT upgrade OK
July 26/13: KAMD.South Korea is investing in deterrence and ISR capabilities that will complement its KAMD system, and plans to devote $63 billion of its $192.6 billion 2014 – 2018 budget period for KAMD and deterrent systems.
“The activation of a new Air and Missile Defense Cell (AMD-Cell) was planned for this month, after few months delay. This command and control center will support the entire KAMD enterprise. The AMD-Cell will integrate early warning and target tracks from multiple sources, including US Early Warning Satellites (DSP), SPY-1 naval radars deployed on the KDX-III AEGIS destroyers and the new, land-based Green Pine delivered by israel.”
Deterrent systems include their own ballistic missiles and mediu-long range cruise missiles, and the new budget also contemplates high-altitudes, long-endurance RQ-4B Global Hawk Block 30 jet-powered UAVs. These systems aren’t enough to seriously threaten China yet, but once deployed, they will create a full defense and kill chain that completely outclasses North Korea.
Even all of this equipment won’t stop the DPRK from destroying Seoul if the tense cease-fire reverts to full conflict. What it will do is make South Korean retaliation very thinkable if North Korea decides to shell populated areas, blow up a number of Cabinet members in a terrorist attack, sink South Korean ships, etc. as it has done in the past. An enemy that is comprehensively outclassed loses at least some of its escalation dominance, no matter how aggressive they may be. Sources: Defense Update, “Seoul to Invest US$63 Billion in Strategic Deterrence, Missile Defense”.
June 11-12/13: Naval.The Yonhap news agency quotes “a senior government official,” who says that itsKDX-IIIdestroyers will have their SM-2 missiles supplemented by SM-6 purchases as of 2016, as part of KAMD. The SM-6 will complement the ROK’s existing SM-2s. By 2016, they’ll be usable as terminal point defense against ballistic missiles, while also providing long-range air defense against enemy fighters, cruise missiles, etc. If the 2016 delivery date is fixed, it implies a 2014 order for SM-6 missiles. It also implies a future system upgrade for the ships, from a standard Aegis combat system to Aegis BMD 5.0.
On land, South Korea is looking to upgrade its PATRIOTs to the latest PAC-3/Config-3 standard. The question is how compatible that system will be with the USA’s missile defense systems. A working group has been set up with the USA, and findings are expected in early 2014. South Korea hopes to have KAMD v1.0 fully ready by 2020. Sources: Yonhap, “S. Korea to deploy new surface-to-air missiles for Aegis destroyers” | Global Post, “S. Korea aims to establish missile destruction system by 2020″.
Naval BMD OKed
Dec 23/12: Issues.Korea and the USA are talking about integrating AMD-Cell in Osan with the U.S. Forces Korea’s PATRIOTs. The problem is that they need to create a firewall that would insulate that joint system from other US BMD assets outside South Korea. Which is to say, in Japan.
Korea was invaded by Japan during WW2, and Japanese atrocities left a lot of hard feelings. South Korean governments have faced firestorms of criticism when proposals have been made to share intelligence with Japan, even if that intelligence concerns North Korean missile launches. North Korea’s networks of sympathizers in South Korea are happy to stir up those hard feelings up whenever it’s convenient, of course. Sources: SLD, “Defending South Korea: The Challenge of North Korean Missiles.
Dec 5/12: Green Pine deployment.South Korea’s Green Pine radars are almost ready to deploy:
“South Korea brought in two Israeli-made “Green Pine” radars this year, one of them in August and the other last month, and has since been conducting tests to ensure they have no defects.
“Acceptance testing of the Green Pine radar No. 1 comes to an end today with a final assessment of 24-hour continuous operation,” the source said. “It will be deployed immediately after the acceptance testing and will be in service when North Korea launches its long-range rocket.”
Testing of the second radar will be completed by mid-December and deployed thereafter, the source said.”
Sources: Yonhap, “S. Korea to deploy newly introduced radar ahead of N. Korea rocket launch”.
Green Pine radars deployed
Oct 28/12: PATRIOT.A joint study by the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses and the US Missile Defense Agency concludes that the PATRIOT PAC-2 system has an interception success rate of below 40% against ballistic missiles. South Korea’s government looked at that, then concluded that they need to buy PAC-3 batteries, in order to push their odds above 70% for covered areas.
The PAC-3 systems appear to be a priority, with deliveries to begin in 2014. To achieve that, a DSCA export request will need to be issued in the very near future. As PAC-3 systems arrive, South Korea reportedly plans to divert their billion-dollar buy of German PAC-2 batteries to defend against aircraft and cruise missiles. ROK’s Yonhap News Agency, S. Korea moves to upgrade Patriot defense system” | Chosun Ilbo, “PAC-2 Missiles Flunk Intercept Test”.
Oct 26/12: Made in Korea.Despite American urgings, South Korea sees America’s system as unsuitable for their needs. American systems tend to focus on midcourse intercepts, but the Koreans see hundreds of missiles just 5-10 minutes flight from their territory, and prefer terminal intercept capabilities. They also aren’t about to give up their own research and capabilities in this critical area, given their doubts about US resolve, but it’s best not mention this to your ally:
“The MD system that the United States envisions is a multi-layered defense system, which is fundamentally different from the Korean type of missile defense system that is oriented to low-layer defense,” a defense ministry official told reporters on condition of anonymity. “We cannot but build a low-layer defense system under operational situations on the Korean Peninsula. Therefore, building the KAMD (Korean Air and Missile Defense) means never participating in U.S. efforts to build a multi-layer defense system,” the official said.”
It’s the “never” that tells you there’s more at work here than just operational considerations. Sources: Yonhap, “Defense ministry denies possibility of S. Korea joining U.S. missile defense”.
April 10/10: KAMD.South Korea is sticking to its course and deploying an indigenous missile defense system, with initial deployment scheduled for July 2010.
Pining Control: South Korea’s KAMD National Ballistic Missile Defense System
National Ballistic Missile Defense System
May 27, 201418:48 UTC by Defense Industry Daily staff
South Korea continues to modernize its forces, and take steps toward full sovereign control of its defenses. PAC-2 GEM+ missileswere orderedin 2008 to be operational in 2010 and fully in place by 2012. South Korea doesn’t appear to be aiming as high as Japan, with its license-produced Patriot PAC-3s and long-range naval SM-3 systems, but medium range SM-2 Block IIIA/B missiles fired from ROKNKDX-III destroyersdo offer another limited option for the ROK’s coastal cities.
As countries like the UAE have been quick to recognize, turning a series of point defenses into a cohesive system that can respond in time requires long-range detection, and strong regional command-and-control systems. Now, a key contract has been signed, as South Korea prepares to field its Air and Missile Defense Cell (AMD-Cell) radars and command system.
Contracts and Key Events
Note that this article doesn’t cover every South Korean BMD purchase. It focuses on the core AMD-Cell command and control system, key radars, and overall assessments. Beyond that, it notes key milestones and decisions that may involve weapons within KAMD, like PATRIOT missiles, KDX-III destroyers, etc. Links to in-depth coverage of more specific systems are provided in the “Additional Readings” section.
2010 – 2014
North Korea is believed to have deployed more than 600 short-range Scud missiles with a 320-500 km range, and around 200 Rodong missiles with a 1,300 km range.
May 26/14: KAMD.Marcin Andrzej Piotrowski looks at past and current regional tensions are preventing South Korea from fully participating in an integrated missile defense network with Japan and the US. The tensions have also prompted Seoul to modernize its defense industry, and to collaborate with Russia and Israel instead. It also has a good summary of KAMD’s current state and plans, though it fails to pay much attention to KM-SAM program efforts with Russia:
“Since 2006, Seoul has been working on low-altitude defence, the Korea Air and Missile Defence (KAMD), which would initially cost $3 billion. This is currently based on the Israeli C3I Citron Tree system and two Green Pine early warning radars. Since 2009, KAMD has included eight strategic location batteries with 48 launchers and 192 PAC-2 GEM-T missiles. Negotiations about the delivery of an additional 112 PAC-2 missiles from the U.S. are ongoing (at a cost of $404 million). Between 2008 and 2012, ROK Navy also received three modern KDX-III Sejong-class destroyers with Aegis systems and SM-2 missiles…. In the context of the growing threat, ROK has decided to augment KAMD further between 2016 and 2020, with American PAC-3 missile interceptors ($1.3 billion). Seoul is planning another three Sejong-class destroyers with SM-6 missiles, more advanced than the SM-2s. It is possible that Seoul will decide to buy more capable missile defence systems, such as THAADs, SM-3s, Arrows, or even S-400s. Due to the scale of the rocket threat, the large area of Seoul and the costs of interceptors, procurement of the Israeli Iron Dome system is much less likely. However, ROK is planning to buy 10 RPS-42 TASRS Israeli radars ($191 million) in the near future, for detecting drones and cruise missiles at very low altitude.”
Sources: ISN, “South Korea’s Air and Missile Defence: Below the Threat Level”.
April 28/14: PATRIOT.South Korea’s defense establishment formally confirms their intent to upgrade existing PATRIOT systems to PAC-3/Config-3 status (q.v. March 12/14). The budget is WON 1.3 – 1.4 trillion (about $1.25 billion), and they aim to deploy the system between 2016 – 2020. Sources: The Korea Herald, “Seoul to upgrade missile defense”.
PATRIOT upgrade OK
July 26/13: KAMD.South Korea is investing in deterrence and ISR capabilities that will complement its KAMD system, and plans to devote $63 billion of its $192.6 billion 2014 – 2018 budget period for KAMD and deterrent systems.
“The activation of a new Air and Missile Defense Cell (AMD-Cell) was planned for this month, after few months delay. This command and control center will support the entire KAMD enterprise. The AMD-Cell will integrate early warning and target tracks from multiple sources, including US Early Warning Satellites (DSP), SPY-1 naval radars deployed on the KDX-III AEGIS destroyers and the new, land-based Green Pine delivered by israel.”
Deterrent systems include their own ballistic missiles and mediu-long range cruise missiles, and the new budget also contemplates high-altitudes, long-endurance RQ-4B Global Hawk Block 30 jet-powered UAVs. These systems aren’t enough to seriously threaten China yet, but once deployed, they will create a full defense and kill chain that completely outclasses North Korea.
Even all of this equipment won’t stop the DPRK from destroying Seoul if the tense cease-fire reverts to full conflict. What it will do is make South Korean retaliation very thinkable if North Korea decides to shell populated areas, blow up a number of Cabinet members in a terrorist attack, sink South Korean ships, etc. as it has done in the past. An enemy that is comprehensively outclassed loses at least some of its escalation dominance, no matter how aggressive they may be. Sources: Defense Update, “Seoul to Invest US$63 Billion in Strategic Deterrence, Missile Defense”.
June 11-12/13: Naval.The Yonhap news agency quotes “a senior government official,” who says that itsKDX-IIIdestroyers will have their SM-2 missiles supplemented by SM-6 purchases as of 2016, as part of KAMD. The SM-6 will complement the ROK’s existing SM-2s. By 2016, they’ll be usable as terminal point defense against ballistic missiles, while also providing long-range air defense against enemy fighters, cruise missiles, etc. If the 2016 delivery date is fixed, it implies a 2014 order for SM-6 missiles. It also implies a future system upgrade for the ships, from a standard Aegis combat system to Aegis BMD 5.0.
On land, South Korea is looking to upgrade its PATRIOTs to the latest PAC-3/Config-3 standard. The question is how compatible that system will be with the USA’s missile defense systems. A working group has been set up with the USA, and findings are expected in early 2014. South Korea hopes to have KAMD v1.0 fully ready by 2020. Sources: Yonhap, “S. Korea to deploy new surface-to-air missiles for Aegis destroyers” | Global Post, “S. Korea aims to establish missile destruction system by 2020″.
Naval BMD OKed
Dec 23/12: Issues.Korea and the USA are talking about integrating AMD-Cell in Osan with the U.S. Forces Korea’s PATRIOTs. The problem is that they need to create a firewall that would insulate that joint system from other US BMD assets outside South Korea. Which is to say, in Japan.
Korea was invaded by Japan during WW2, and Japanese atrocities left a lot of hard feelings. South Korean governments have faced firestorms of criticism when proposals have been made to share intelligence with Japan, even if that intelligence concerns North Korean missile launches. North Korea’s networks of sympathizers in South Korea are happy to stir up those hard feelings up whenever it’s convenient, of course. Sources: SLD, “Defending South Korea: The Challenge of North Korean Missiles.
Dec 5/12: Green Pine deployment.South Korea’s Green Pine radars are almost ready to deploy:
“South Korea brought in two Israeli-made “Green Pine” radars this year, one of them in August and the other last month, and has since been conducting tests to ensure they have no defects.
“Acceptance testing of the Green Pine radar No. 1 comes to an end today with a final assessment of 24-hour continuous operation,” the source said. “It will be deployed immediately after the acceptance testing and will be in service when North Korea launches its long-range rocket.”
Testing of the second radar will be completed by mid-December and deployed thereafter, the source said.”
Sources: Yonhap, “S. Korea to deploy newly introduced radar ahead of N. Korea rocket launch”.
Green Pine radars deployed
Oct 28/12: PATRIOT.A joint study by the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses and the US Missile Defense Agency concludes that the PATRIOT PAC-2 system has an interception success rate of below 40% against ballistic missiles. South Korea’s government looked at that, then concluded that they need to buy PAC-3 batteries, in order to push their odds above 70% for covered areas.
The PAC-3 systems appear to be a priority, with deliveries to begin in 2014. To achieve that, a DSCA export request will need to be issued in the very near future. As PAC-3 systems arrive, South Korea reportedly plans to divert their billion-dollar buy of German PAC-2 batteries to defend against aircraft and cruise missiles. ROK’s Yonhap News Agency, S. Korea moves to upgrade Patriot defense system” | Chosun Ilbo, “PAC-2 Missiles Flunk Intercept Test”.
Oct 26/12: Made in Korea.Despite American urgings, South Korea sees America’s system as unsuitable for their needs. American systems tend to focus on midcourse intercepts, but the Koreans see hundreds of missiles just 5-10 minutes flight from their territory, and prefer terminal intercept capabilities. They also aren’t about to give up their own research and capabilities in this critical area, given their doubts about US resolve, but it’s best not mention this to your ally:
“The MD system that the United States envisions is a multi-layered defense system, which is fundamentally different from the Korean type of missile defense system that is oriented to low-layer defense,” a defense ministry official told reporters on condition of anonymity. “We cannot but build a low-layer defense system under operational situations on the Korean Peninsula. Therefore, building the KAMD (Korean Air and Missile Defense) means never participating in U.S. efforts to build a multi-layer defense system,” the official said.”
It’s the “never” that tells you there’s more at work here than just operational considerations. Sources: Yonhap, “Defense ministry denies possibility of S. Korea joining U.S. missile defense”.
April 10/10: KAMD.South Korea is sticking to its course and deploying an indigenous missile defense system, with initial deployment scheduled for July 2010.
“South Korea, which decided not to join the U.S.-led global missile defense system, has gradually been building an independent, low-tier missile shield called the Korea Air and Missile Defense System (KAMD) since 2006 by acquiring Patriot missiles and long-range early warning radars.
The KAMD involves early warning radars, ship-to-air and land-based missile defense systems, arming Seoul with the ability to track and shoot down the North’s low-flying, short- and medium-range missiles, with help of U.S. early warning satellites.”
Sources: Yonhap, “S. Korea to deploy indigenous missile defense system in July”.
2009
EL/M-2080 “Green Pine”
(click to view larger)
This article is incomplete. Kindly read the complete one here:The KAMD involves early warning radars, ship-to-air and land-based missile defense systems, arming Seoul with the ability to track and shoot down the North’s low-flying, short- and medium-range missiles, with help of U.S. early warning satellites.”
Sources: Yonhap, “S. Korea to deploy indigenous missile defense system in July”.
2009
EL/M-2080 “Green Pine”
(click to view larger)
Pining Control: South Korea’s KAMD National Ballistic Missile Defense System
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Troops in Standoff with South Korean Soldier Who Killed 5 Comrades
Jun. 22, 2014 - By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESS
South Korean soldiers patrol as they search for a soldier who is on the run after a June 22 shooting in Goseong-gun, South Korea. (Getty Images)
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA— South Korean troops traded fire in a standoff Sunday with a cornered conscript soldier who went on the run after shooting dead five members of his unit on the border with North Korea.
The 23-year-old army sergeant, surnamed Lim, had opened fire on fellow soldiers at a guard post on the eastern section of the heavily guarded frontier Saturday night.
The shooting spree left five dead and seven wounded — and triggered a massive manhunt after Lee fled the scene armed with a K-2 assault rifle and a stash of ammunition.
A defense ministry spokesman said Lim, who apparently had a record of instability, had been tracked and cornered just before 2:30 p.m. Sunday near an elementary school around 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the border.
“He shot at the pursuing troops and they returned fire,” the spokesman said, adding that one officer had been wounded in the arm.
Local media reported that Lim’s parents had been brought to the scene and had pleaded with their son to surrender.
As night fell, Lim was believed to be holed up in a small section of forest on a hill behind the school.
Some 500 residents of a nearby village, most of them elderly, were evacuated from their homes to another school building as a precaution.
“I’ve never known anything like this in my life,” one 60-year-old villager told the Yonhap news agency.
“I stayed up all of last night. My children live far away and they’re very worried about me,” she said.
According to the military, Lim was due to be discharged in the next few months after completing his compulsory military service.
The conscript detonated a grenade immediately after finishing his six-hour guard duty at about 2 p.m. Saturday, then opened fire, Yonhap reported.
All those killed or wounded in the incident were members of the 22nd infantry division, in the eastern province of Gangwon.
Thousands of soldiers took part in the search for the fugitive, including special forces units, as army helicopters scanned the area from above.
Shooter Had Trouble Adapting
Lim had difficulty adapting to the military, and past psychological evaluators had advised senior officers to pay him special attention, a defense ministry official who wished to remain anonymous told AFP.
This is not the first time the 22nd infantry has been involved in such an incident.
In 1984 a private belonging to the same division opened fire and threw a grenade at fellow soldiers in their barracks, killing 15.
The soldier, Cho Jun-Hee, then crossed the border to defect to the North, a move that Pyongyang’s state media later confirmed.
The site of Saturday’s shooting is just south of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) — a buffer strip that runs the full length of the 250-kilometer (155-mile) frontier.
The four-kilometre-wide DMZ — known as the world’s last Cold War frontier — features guard posts manned by the rival armies, barbed wire and roads bisecting minefields.
Because the 1950-53 Korean War ended with a ceasefire rather than a peace treaty, the two Koreas technically remain at war.
Many of the South Korean soldiers on border duty are young male recruits doing their mandatory two-year military service.
These young men make up a large part of the South’s 691,000-strong troop presence, compared with 1.17 million in the North.
Most of the victims in Saturday’s shooting were conscripts, aged from 19 to 23.
The defense ministry issued a “sincere apology” over the incident.
“We pray for the souls of the victims and express our deepest regret for the victims, the injured and their families,” it said.
Bullying and cruelty in the barracks have long tarnished the armed forces, and been blamed for suicides and similar shooting incidents.
In July 2011 a 19-year-old marine conscript killed four colleagues in a shooting spree on Ganghwa island near the border.
In June 2005 eight soldiers were killed and two seriously wounded when a 22-year-old conscript threw a grenade and sprayed bullets over sleeping colleagues at a frontline guard post north of Seoul.
In both those cases the men were court-martialed and sentenced to death, although the penalty was not carried out.
The armed forces have in recent years taken steps to stamp out bullying, which they called part of a “distorted military culture.”
Troops in Standoff with South Korean Soldier Who Killed 5 Comrades | Defense News | defensenews.com
Jun. 22, 2014 - By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESS
South Korean soldiers patrol as they search for a soldier who is on the run after a June 22 shooting in Goseong-gun, South Korea. (Getty Images)
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA— South Korean troops traded fire in a standoff Sunday with a cornered conscript soldier who went on the run after shooting dead five members of his unit on the border with North Korea.
The 23-year-old army sergeant, surnamed Lim, had opened fire on fellow soldiers at a guard post on the eastern section of the heavily guarded frontier Saturday night.
The shooting spree left five dead and seven wounded — and triggered a massive manhunt after Lee fled the scene armed with a K-2 assault rifle and a stash of ammunition.
A defense ministry spokesman said Lim, who apparently had a record of instability, had been tracked and cornered just before 2:30 p.m. Sunday near an elementary school around 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the border.
“He shot at the pursuing troops and they returned fire,” the spokesman said, adding that one officer had been wounded in the arm.
Local media reported that Lim’s parents had been brought to the scene and had pleaded with their son to surrender.
As night fell, Lim was believed to be holed up in a small section of forest on a hill behind the school.
Some 500 residents of a nearby village, most of them elderly, were evacuated from their homes to another school building as a precaution.
“I’ve never known anything like this in my life,” one 60-year-old villager told the Yonhap news agency.
“I stayed up all of last night. My children live far away and they’re very worried about me,” she said.
According to the military, Lim was due to be discharged in the next few months after completing his compulsory military service.
The conscript detonated a grenade immediately after finishing his six-hour guard duty at about 2 p.m. Saturday, then opened fire, Yonhap reported.
All those killed or wounded in the incident were members of the 22nd infantry division, in the eastern province of Gangwon.
Thousands of soldiers took part in the search for the fugitive, including special forces units, as army helicopters scanned the area from above.
Shooter Had Trouble Adapting
Lim had difficulty adapting to the military, and past psychological evaluators had advised senior officers to pay him special attention, a defense ministry official who wished to remain anonymous told AFP.
This is not the first time the 22nd infantry has been involved in such an incident.
In 1984 a private belonging to the same division opened fire and threw a grenade at fellow soldiers in their barracks, killing 15.
The soldier, Cho Jun-Hee, then crossed the border to defect to the North, a move that Pyongyang’s state media later confirmed.
The site of Saturday’s shooting is just south of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) — a buffer strip that runs the full length of the 250-kilometer (155-mile) frontier.
The four-kilometre-wide DMZ — known as the world’s last Cold War frontier — features guard posts manned by the rival armies, barbed wire and roads bisecting minefields.
Because the 1950-53 Korean War ended with a ceasefire rather than a peace treaty, the two Koreas technically remain at war.
Many of the South Korean soldiers on border duty are young male recruits doing their mandatory two-year military service.
These young men make up a large part of the South’s 691,000-strong troop presence, compared with 1.17 million in the North.
Most of the victims in Saturday’s shooting were conscripts, aged from 19 to 23.
The defense ministry issued a “sincere apology” over the incident.
“We pray for the souls of the victims and express our deepest regret for the victims, the injured and their families,” it said.
Bullying and cruelty in the barracks have long tarnished the armed forces, and been blamed for suicides and similar shooting incidents.
In July 2011 a 19-year-old marine conscript killed four colleagues in a shooting spree on Ganghwa island near the border.
In June 2005 eight soldiers were killed and two seriously wounded when a 22-year-old conscript threw a grenade and sprayed bullets over sleeping colleagues at a frontline guard post north of Seoul.
In both those cases the men were court-martialed and sentenced to death, although the penalty was not carried out.
The armed forces have in recent years taken steps to stamp out bullying, which they called part of a “distorted military culture.”
Troops in Standoff with South Korean Soldier Who Killed 5 Comrades | Defense News | defensenews.com
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General Atomics Aeronautical System of USA Getting Involved in Introduction Program of UAV for Surveillance of NWI / NLL Competing Israeli Companies.
For the recent 2014 Brazil world cup, the government of Brazil has done some hard work for public order and counter terrorism, deploying armored vehicles and armed polices. Also not seen, though Brazilian Air force has also gave support to do this, deploying their UAV, Hermes 900 of Israeli company, Elbit. Right behind USA, Israel is second most developed country regarding their ability of making Unmanned vehicles.
MQ-1 Predator is the typical and most widely known UAV in the world, implementing various mission in Iraq-Afghan war for more than 10 years, also attacking Al-Qaeda and Taliban.
These worldwide recognized UAVs are participating ' Corps-class UAV Ability Enhancement Program' ongoing in Korea, handing in their proposals to ROK armed forces. This program is there to enhance the ability of surveillance and guarding DPRK armed forces near NWI (northwest Islands) and NLL (northern limit line) on western sea.
Currently, the Korean armed forces owns / operates Israeli UAV 'Searcher' of IAI and Indigenous 'Songgolmae (pergegrine falcon)' UAV, though it lacks of long-time reconnaissance ability so that ROK armed forces has started 'MALE UAV emergency introduction program' since 2012. ADD (Agency of Defense Development) is already developing Korean MALE based on KUS-15, though it will take few years so that ROK armed forces is currently conducting this emergency introduction program to keep NWI and NLL safe.
In the end of application of proposal in last June, an unexpected event occurred. Israel and USA, the two prominent countries regarding UAV technologies have participated in this UAV program purchasing 4 MALE UAVs for ₩ 300 billion. This is the first time in ROK UAV introduction program that both American and Israeli companies participated. The competing companies and their models are Predator XP of GAAS, Hermes 900 of Elbit and Heron-1 of IAI.
The Predator XP has lenght of 8.22 m, 16.8 m wide, weighting 204 kg on board, maximum speed of 222 km with it's range of 1239 km and service ceiling of 25000 ft. The XP variant is designed not to be able to be armed with weapons such as Hellfire missiles for export markets. It has 35 hours of flight endurance which is 11 hours longer compared to MQ-1 Predator. The Cost of Predator XP is known to be ₩ 50 billion.
Israeli companies who counter GAAS have already done intense competition in international markets. Elbit's Hermes has adopted both ground and maritime surveillance aircraft so that it can observe both ground and sea in one mission constantly which it make this UAV suitable for surveillance of NWI / NLL compared to other competing models. With it's service ceiling of 32000 ft with its maximum load of 300 kg, Hermes 900 can stay in the air for 36 hours snd conduct its S&R mission for 36 hours. Also it's Plug & Play design it can carry out aother kind of mission in short period of time. It is 8.3 m long, 15m wide and has maximum speed of 220 km, developed in 2009.
Heron-1 of IAI has ability of accurate / high-resolution ground survaillance due to EO camera and SAR as it's advantage. Carrying 250 kg of various surveillance equipment, it can last 52 hours i the air. It is 8.5 m long, 16.6 m wide, has maximum speed of 207 km, developed 13 years before Hermes in 1996
Heron-1 is developed long ago and is being used by various countries though it is known that Hermes 900 has won 6 recent international competition against Hermes. One military source has replied that " American Predator has shown it's intention of involvement though considering the cost and offsets, it will be competition between Israeli companies and their Hermes 900 and Heron-1".
Source : Yu Yong Won reporter / journalist of Chosun Ilbo (Korean newspaper) ; Yu Yong Won's Military (유용원의 군사세계)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ROK Army Considering to Halve the Required Number of Current Already Developed Division Class UAV 'KUS-9' and Besides, develop and use new tilt-rotor UAV based on 'Smart UAV (TR-100, TR-6X)'.
Tilt-Rotor SUAV or TR-100 / TR-6X
KUS-9
KUS-9 or Division Class UAV developed by KAL has hit an unexpected snag. Developed since since 2010, KUS-9 is going to be mass produced in 2015 and will be deployed in divisions of ROK Army. DUAV is expected to improve R&S abilities of front-line divisions in Western and Easter front, but recently, there are some opinions that other kind of UAV should be used in Eastern front due to its mountainous terrain. As result, the airstrip for UAV has been constructed in western front as planned, though in Eastern front the construction has been ceased.
According to officials of Joint Chiefs of Staff and Defense Acquisition Program Administration, Their was a proposal to Ministry of Defense to re-develop / upgrade Smart Tilt-Rotor UAV (TR-100, TR-6X) into military purposed UAV and deploy it. The proposal came out in the first half of this year.
The Minister of Ministry of Defense on that moment supported KARI's Tilt-Rotor UAV that halved the required number of DUAV (KUS-9). It is doubtful, that halving the UAV that was turning out well until recent period of time, planned to be mass produced and deployed in 2015 an appropriate attitude preparing war that can break out in any moment.
Also, according to JCS, KARI's Smart Tilt-Rotor UAV needs 7 ~ 10 years for its re-development to fit the ROC.
Thanks to civil-military cooperation, DUAV has longer endurance compared to RQ-101 with slightly longer operational range, though it is half a size and weight which makes DUAV able to land on the field without runway, having capabilities to fly over the ridge, dive towards the landing point in left / right deviation less than 1 m and stop within 30 ~ 40 m automatically.
Besides, it has engine remote restart equipment and parachute.
Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy is also pushing the support for the Tilt-Rotor UAV, though it still needs technical evaluation and feasibility study thus reflect the budget, which is in contrast of DUAV only few months left from deployment. And still, they are suggesting to use Tilt-Rotor UAV to Ministry of Defense and is exerting their influence only to use DUAV in Western front. According to JCS official, the Tilt-Rotor UAV will be able to be used by army after 2020.
To operate this UAV in the army, it needs to load the sensor which is used by the army, change the specification into Army's requirements and test fly it, and needs to pass airworthiness certification of the army and practicality confirmation for military use.
Tilt-Rotor SUAV test flight
Source : An Seung Beom Reporter / Journalist ; Ryu Yong Won's Military (유용원의 군사세계 안승범님)
For the recent 2014 Brazil world cup, the government of Brazil has done some hard work for public order and counter terrorism, deploying armored vehicles and armed polices. Also not seen, though Brazilian Air force has also gave support to do this, deploying their UAV, Hermes 900 of Israeli company, Elbit. Right behind USA, Israel is second most developed country regarding their ability of making Unmanned vehicles.
MQ-1 Predator is the typical and most widely known UAV in the world, implementing various mission in Iraq-Afghan war for more than 10 years, also attacking Al-Qaeda and Taliban.
These worldwide recognized UAVs are participating ' Corps-class UAV Ability Enhancement Program' ongoing in Korea, handing in their proposals to ROK armed forces. This program is there to enhance the ability of surveillance and guarding DPRK armed forces near NWI (northwest Islands) and NLL (northern limit line) on western sea.
Currently, the Korean armed forces owns / operates Israeli UAV 'Searcher' of IAI and Indigenous 'Songgolmae (pergegrine falcon)' UAV, though it lacks of long-time reconnaissance ability so that ROK armed forces has started 'MALE UAV emergency introduction program' since 2012. ADD (Agency of Defense Development) is already developing Korean MALE based on KUS-15, though it will take few years so that ROK armed forces is currently conducting this emergency introduction program to keep NWI and NLL safe.
In the end of application of proposal in last June, an unexpected event occurred. Israel and USA, the two prominent countries regarding UAV technologies have participated in this UAV program purchasing 4 MALE UAVs for ₩ 300 billion. This is the first time in ROK UAV introduction program that both American and Israeli companies participated. The competing companies and their models are Predator XP of GAAS, Hermes 900 of Elbit and Heron-1 of IAI.
The Predator XP has lenght of 8.22 m, 16.8 m wide, weighting 204 kg on board, maximum speed of 222 km with it's range of 1239 km and service ceiling of 25000 ft. The XP variant is designed not to be able to be armed with weapons such as Hellfire missiles for export markets. It has 35 hours of flight endurance which is 11 hours longer compared to MQ-1 Predator. The Cost of Predator XP is known to be ₩ 50 billion.
Israeli companies who counter GAAS have already done intense competition in international markets. Elbit's Hermes has adopted both ground and maritime surveillance aircraft so that it can observe both ground and sea in one mission constantly which it make this UAV suitable for surveillance of NWI / NLL compared to other competing models. With it's service ceiling of 32000 ft with its maximum load of 300 kg, Hermes 900 can stay in the air for 36 hours snd conduct its S&R mission for 36 hours. Also it's Plug & Play design it can carry out aother kind of mission in short period of time. It is 8.3 m long, 15m wide and has maximum speed of 220 km, developed in 2009.
Heron-1 of IAI has ability of accurate / high-resolution ground survaillance due to EO camera and SAR as it's advantage. Carrying 250 kg of various surveillance equipment, it can last 52 hours i the air. It is 8.5 m long, 16.6 m wide, has maximum speed of 207 km, developed 13 years before Hermes in 1996
Heron-1 is developed long ago and is being used by various countries though it is known that Hermes 900 has won 6 recent international competition against Hermes. One military source has replied that " American Predator has shown it's intention of involvement though considering the cost and offsets, it will be competition between Israeli companies and their Hermes 900 and Heron-1".
Source : Yu Yong Won reporter / journalist of Chosun Ilbo (Korean newspaper) ; Yu Yong Won's Military (유용원의 군사세계)
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ROK Army Considering to Halve the Required Number of Current Already Developed Division Class UAV 'KUS-9' and Besides, develop and use new tilt-rotor UAV based on 'Smart UAV (TR-100, TR-6X)'.
Tilt-Rotor SUAV or TR-100 / TR-6X
KUS-9
KUS-9 or Division Class UAV developed by KAL has hit an unexpected snag. Developed since since 2010, KUS-9 is going to be mass produced in 2015 and will be deployed in divisions of ROK Army. DUAV is expected to improve R&S abilities of front-line divisions in Western and Easter front, but recently, there are some opinions that other kind of UAV should be used in Eastern front due to its mountainous terrain. As result, the airstrip for UAV has been constructed in western front as planned, though in Eastern front the construction has been ceased.
According to officials of Joint Chiefs of Staff and Defense Acquisition Program Administration, Their was a proposal to Ministry of Defense to re-develop / upgrade Smart Tilt-Rotor UAV (TR-100, TR-6X) into military purposed UAV and deploy it. The proposal came out in the first half of this year.
The Minister of Ministry of Defense on that moment supported KARI's Tilt-Rotor UAV that halved the required number of DUAV (KUS-9). It is doubtful, that halving the UAV that was turning out well until recent period of time, planned to be mass produced and deployed in 2015 an appropriate attitude preparing war that can break out in any moment.
Also, according to JCS, KARI's Smart Tilt-Rotor UAV needs 7 ~ 10 years for its re-development to fit the ROC.
Thanks to civil-military cooperation, DUAV has longer endurance compared to RQ-101 with slightly longer operational range, though it is half a size and weight which makes DUAV able to land on the field without runway, having capabilities to fly over the ridge, dive towards the landing point in left / right deviation less than 1 m and stop within 30 ~ 40 m automatically.
Besides, it has engine remote restart equipment and parachute.
Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy is also pushing the support for the Tilt-Rotor UAV, though it still needs technical evaluation and feasibility study thus reflect the budget, which is in contrast of DUAV only few months left from deployment. And still, they are suggesting to use Tilt-Rotor UAV to Ministry of Defense and is exerting their influence only to use DUAV in Western front. According to JCS official, the Tilt-Rotor UAV will be able to be used by army after 2020.
To operate this UAV in the army, it needs to load the sensor which is used by the army, change the specification into Army's requirements and test fly it, and needs to pass airworthiness certification of the army and practicality confirmation for military use.
Tilt-Rotor SUAV test flight
Source : An Seung Beom Reporter / Journalist ; Ryu Yong Won's Military (유용원의 군사세계 안승범님)
dr.knowhow
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I don't exactly understand your words, though if you are talking about that if any country can join Korean or Japanese R&D project, yes they can. Japan is already conducting joint R&D with Germany, USA, UK, France, Australia, etc. For Korea, there are USA, Indonesia, Turkey, Germany, Russia, etc.
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