This file photo provided by Hanwha Systems shows Cheongung-II medium-range surface-to-air missile multi-function radar. Yonhap

South Korea's combat-proven, interoperable and geopolitically accessible surface-to-air missiles could hinder China's efforts to sell its own defence systems to the Middle East, analysts have suggested.

The U.S.-Israel war on Iran has been marked by tit-for-tat missile and drone attacks across the Persian Gulf states, driving a surge in demand for surface-to-air missiles to defend against incoming Iranian aerial threats.

According to a study by the Foreign Policy Research Institute, a Philadelphia-based think tank, more than 5,000 munitions were fired in the first 96 hours of the armed conflict, including about one-third of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) missiles operated by Gulf states.

As the war has continued, a shortage of surface-to-air missiles has pushed Washington to relocate to the Middle East parts of its air-defence systems deployed elsewhere in the world, such as its THAAD and Patriot systems in South Korea.

The South Korean-made medium-range surface-to-air missile Cheongung-II, known as M-SAM, was also involved in defending against Iranian attacks. Two of its batteries are operated by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), following the 2022 acquisition of 10 batteries under a US$3.5 billion deal.

Against Iranian drones and ballistic missiles, the Cheongung-II has reportedly achieved a 96.7 per cent intercept rate, hitting 29 of 30 targets.

Chun In-bum, a retired South Korean Army lieutenant general, said the recent combat debut of the Cheongung-II had been a "transformative moment" for the country's defence industry, as the missile's successful deployment established it as "combat-proven" for export to the Middle East.

The U.S. Patriot remained the "gold standard", Chun added, but its high price tag and multi-year delivery backlogs had created a "vacuum", and other countries' systems, such as those from Israel and China, carried "political sensitivity" in the region.

"For Middle Eastern nations, this performance provides the 'Goldilocks' solution: the sophistication of the American Patriot at a fraction of the cost and without the geopolitical baggage or performance inconsistencies," he said.

Source: Korea Times News