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| ▲ This photo, provided by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), shows DAPA headquarters in Gwacheon, just south of Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
laser designator-procurement
Arms agency inks deal to locally produce laser designators key to precision strike missions
SEOUL, June 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's arms acquisition agency signed an 86.7 billion-won (US$66.52 million) contract with a local firm Friday to domestically procure laser designators designed to aid combat aircraft's precision strike operations, its officials said.
The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) inked the contract with Hancom Lifecare Inc. to produce the ground-based equipment based on technological cooperation with two U.S.-headquartered defense firms, L3Harris and Leonardo DRS, according to DAPA.
A laser designator is used to designate a hostile target to aid precision strike missions, involving guided munitions, and thus help fighter jets avoid erroneous targeting and enhance their survivability, according to DAPA.
DAPA did not elaborate on the target year for deployment and other details.
The South Korean military has so far imported foreign-made designators, but the procurement project will enable the local supply of the equipment. The project also involves the participation of 16 local subcontractors.
"Through the project, the military will be able to secure a key asset of the country's three-axis system," a DAPA official said, referring to the nation's key deterrence system, which includes the Kill Chain preemptive strike platform.
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