S. Korea to speed up anti-drone system development
This photo provided by the Joint Chiefs of Staff shows the launching pad for the short-range ground-to-air missile Cheonma during drills to strengthen defense against potential North Korean drone-based provocations in areas around Ganap-ri, Yangju, some 30 kilometers northeast of Seoul, Dec. 29. Yonhap
South Korea's state arms agency said Thursday it will push to speed up the development of a jamming system against small drones after the military's recent failure to shoot down North Korean drones.
The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said it will look to develop the counter-drone system over a 39-month period starting next year, compared to a 48-month window such a development usually requires.
DAPA also said it has opened bidding for a portable anti-drone jammer, which it plans to purchase and deploy next year.
The announcement comes after the South Korean military failed to shoot down five North Korean drones that had violated the South's air space Monday. The infiltration raised questions over South Korea's readiness posture against further drone-based provocations by the North.
Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup told a parliamentary committee on national defense Wednesday that while South Korea is capable of detecting and shooting down drones measured at 6 meters or longer, it did not have an adequate response system for smaller unmanned aerial vehicles. (Yonhap)