Hanwha Aerospace awarded L-SAM contract to enhance South Korea’s air defence network
Peter Felstead
Hanwha Aerospace has signed a KRW 705 billion (EUR 0.41 billion) contract with South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) for production of the Long-range Surface-to-Air Missile (L-SAM) system, the company announced on 28 November 2025.
Under the contract Hanwha Aerospace will carry out mass production and delivery of L-SAM launchers and ballistic missile interceptors to the South Korean military through to 2030.
The L-SAM system is a core element of South Korea’s layered air and missile defence network. It adds a new high-altitude interception layer, giving South Korea additional opportunities to engage enemy ballistic missiles before existing air defence systems such as M-SAM and Patriot are activated.
L-SAM also incorporates advanced technologies, including a divert and attitude control system (DACS) and a dual-pulse propulsion system. It is the first long-range missile defence system developed in South Korea to apply these technologies, enabling accurate interception of ballistic missiles even at very high altitudes where the air is thin and normal aerodynamic control is not effective. This significantly improves the reliability and effectiveness of South Korea’s air and missile defences.
The L-SAM award follows a KRW 357.3 billion production contract signed last month between DAPA and Hanwha Systems for the L-SAM Multi-Function Radar (MFR). Serving as the ‘eyes’ and primary sensor of the L-SAM system, the MFR detects and tracks incoming ballistic missiles and hostile aircraft at long ranges.
In parallel, South Korea’s Agency for Defense Development (ADD), together with industry partners including Hanwha Aerospace and Hanwha Systems, is developing L-SAM-II system. Building on the current L-SAM architecture, L-SAM-II is designed to expand the defended air and missile engagement envelope by three to four times compared to existing systems, further reinforcing the country’s strategic deterrence and defence capabilities.
