South Korea sends emergency missile support to UAE amid Iran tensions

South Korea has carried out an urgent airlift of Cheongung-II (KM-SAM) surface-to-air missiles to the United Arab Emirates, responding to severe challenges to UAE air defences from Iranian missile and drone attacks since February 28.

The operation involved a Republic of Korea Air Force C-17 strategic transport aircraft delivering roughly 30 interceptor missiles directly from South Korea’s operational reserves, underscoring the critical need to maintain the UAE’s layered missile-defence infrastructure, Military Watch magazine reports.

This resupply is vital not only for protecting strategic and military sites within the UAE but also for ensuring that US and French forces can continue operations against Iran from bases in the country, particularly Al Dhafra Air Base.

The Cheongung-II system’s importance has increased as the UAE’s U.S.-supplied THAAD and MIM-104 Patriot batteries have reportedly nearly exhausted their interceptor stocks, and the system’s only radar, the AN/TPY-2, was destroyed in previous Iranian attacks.

The Cheongung-II integrates both domestic and Russian technology and was developed with extensive collaboration from Russian defence companies Almaz-Antey and Fakel, drawing on expertise from the S-400 and S-350 programs.

Under a landmark $3.5 billion deal signed in 2022, the UAE agreed to acquire ten Cheongung-II medium-range missile batteries, and Abu Dhabi recently requested an urgent resupply of interceptors after depleting stocks while countering Iranian strikes.

By Jeyhun Aghazada