As per claims made by South Korean Media, Iraq has purchased 8 batteries of KM-SAM BLOCK-II air defense system at approximately 2.56 billion dollars. This is the third export success of the KM-SAM/Cheolmae-2 system in the Middle East within 2 years. Before Iraq, UAE and Saudi Arabia purchased the KM-SAM system with deals valued at 3.5 billion USD and 3.2 billion USD respectively.
The system
The KM-SAM (Korean Medium-range Surface-to-Air Missile), also known as the Cheolmae-2 (Iron Hawk), is a South Korean medium-range surface-to-air missile system. It was developed by the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) with technical assistance from Almaz-Antey and Fakel. The technology behind the missile draws from the 9M96 missile utilized in the S-350E and S-400 missile systems. The block-II version of the system can provide a maximum range of 50km with a maximum speed of mach 5. Each battery of the system consists of an engagement Control Center (ECS), 1 Multifunction Radar (MFR), 1 Power Generator, and 4-6 launchers with 8 missiles on each launcher.
Future impact
The agreement will not only enhance Iraq’s air defense capabilities against potential airborne threats but also lay the groundwork for future defense collaborations between Iraq and South Korea, such as the acquisition of KAI T-50 Golden Eagle light combat aircraft as Iraq is currently facing challenges in maintaining its existing F-16 fleet, making this partnership particularly timely. Additionally, LIG Nex1 is actively participating in bidding for air defense system contracts in Malaysia and Romania. A successful deal with Iraq would bolster its reputation and credibility in these endeavors.
