Korea Selatan resmi membuka penawaran transaksi senilai 7,3 miliar dolar untuk pengadaan 60 pesawat tempur. Seperti dilaporkan AFP, tiga perusahaan penerbangan raksasa berlomba-lomba untuk mendapat kontrak pertahanan terbesar negara Asia tersebut.
Perusahaan AS Boeing dan Lockheed Martin serta konsorsium kedirgantaraan Eropa EADS sedang dalam proses penawaran. Calon pesawat yang akan dibuat adalah Boeing F-15 Silent Eagle, Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II dan EADS Eurofighter Typhoon.
EADS menawarkan investasi 2,0 miliar dolar di Korea Selatan untuk mengembangkan jet tempur canggih sendiri, jika konsorsium itu menang tender.
Lockheed Martin menawarkan untuk mendukung upaya Korea Selatan mengembangkan dan meluncurkan satelit komunikasi militer. Sementara Boeing berjanji untuk membeli miliaran dolar pada bagian dari perusahaan-perusahaan Korea. Proses tender dijadwalkan berlangsung 11 hari.
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Korea Selatan (Korsel) kini siap mengoperasikan helikopter buatannya sendiri yang bernama Surion. Helikopter itu akan menggantikan Helikopter UH-1Hs setelah menjalani proses pengembangan selama enam tahun.
Industri Kedirgantaraan Korea (KAI) mengembangkan 10 Helikoter Utilitas (KUH-1) bersama Perusahaan Pertahanan Aeronautika dan Luar Angkasa Eropa. Pengembangan itu dilakukan bersamaan dengan pengembangan Eurocopter. Saat ini, helikopter tersebut sudah siap dioperasikan oleh pasukan Korsel.
Keberhasilan perakitan pesawat itu menjadikan Korsel sebagai negara ke-11 yang sanggup membangun helikopter. Negeri Ginseng itu sekaligus mendapatkan peringkat enam dalam hal kekuatan helikopter serbu.
Dalam bahasa Korea, "Surion" berarti lincah dan sempurna. Prototipe pertama dari Helikopter Surion diuji coba pada 2010 sebelum akhirnya diproduksi dengan skala besar pada 2012. Helikopter itu akan menggantikan helikopter UH-1H buatan Amerika Serikat (AS) dan 500MD yang sudah uzur.
Surion sukses diuji coba terbang di saat cuaca dingin. Uji coba itu berlangsung di Alaska pada Desember dan Februari lalu. Selama 2.700 jam terbang, Surion dinyatakan bebas dari kecelakaan dan gangguan mesin.
Presiden Park Geun-Hye dan Menteri Pertahanan Kim Kwan-Jim menghadiri upacara peresmian helikopter itu di Kota Nonsan, Provinsi Chungcheong Selatan. Dalam prosesi bersejarah itu itu, Park berpidato dan menyinggung masalah perkembangan di Semenanjung Korea.
"Ketika saya mengunjungi AS, saya dan Presiden Barack Obama menegaskan, kami akan menindak tegas seluruh provokasi dari Korea Utara (Korut), namun kami tetap membuka pintu untuk dialog," ujar Park, seperti dikutip Yonhap, Rabu (22/5/2013).
Korea Utara diyakini memiliki lebih dari 1.000 rudal dengan berbagai kemampuan, termasuk rudal jarak jauh yang suatu hari bisa mencapai daratan Amerika Serikat. Program rudal Pyongyang telah berkembang pesat dalam beberapa dekade terakhir dari awalnya hanya berupa roket artileri taktis jarak pendek pada tahun 1960 dan 70-an menjadi rudal balistik jarak menengah pada tahun 1980 dan 90-an.
Insititut Analisis Pertahanan Korea Selatan (KIDA) mengatakan bahwa sesuai dengan laporan yang disampaikan oleh Pentagon kepada Kongres AS, Korea Utara setidaknya telah memiliki hingga 200 Transporter Erector Launcher (TEL)*, 100 rudal Scud jarak pendek, 50 rudal Nodong jarak menengah dan 50 rudal Musudan jarak jauh. Sebelumya Seoul juga memperkirakan bahwa negara komunis yang dikenal secara resmi sebagai Republik Demokrasi Rakyat Korea (DPRK) itu memiliki tidak lebih dari 94 TEL mobile (bergerak).
Laporan AS juga menunjukkan bahwa Korea Utara bertekad memperluas program rudalnya meskipun ekonominya sedang sulit. Hal ini terutama difokuskan pada wilayah-wilayah tertentu yang asimetris dapat menimbulkan ancaman bagi korea Selatan dan pasukan AS yang ditempatkan di Korea Selatan.
Ketegangan di Semenanjung Korea telah meningkat tajam sejak Desember lalu, ketika Korea Utara menguji coba rudal jarak jauh Taepodong-2, diikuti tes nuklir ketiga (underground) pada Februari 2013.
PBB menanggapinya dengan sanksi. Latihan militer baru-baru ini antara Korea Selatan dan Amerika Serikat telah membuat marah Korea Utara, yang mengancam akan melakukan serangan nuklir di daratan Amerika, serta pasukan AS di wilayah tersebut.
KEKUATAN RUDAL KOREA UTARA
Kekuatan rudal Korea Utara terdiri dari berbagai rudal jarak pendek seperti KN-02, yang memiliki jangkauan 120 km dan dapat menargetkan instalasi militer di Korea Selatan. Ada juga Hwasong-5 dan Hwasong-6, yang juga dikenal sebagai rudal Scud-B dan C, memiliki jangkauan masing-masing 300 km dan 500 km. Rudal ini berhulu ledak konvensional, tetapi tidak menutup kemungkinan bisa dipersenjatai dengan hulu ledak biologis, kimia, bahkan nuklir.
Rudal Hwasong-5 dan 6 keduanya sudah diuji coba dan disebarkan. Ahli persenjataan sudah meyakininya dan memungkinkan bagi Korea Utara untuk menyerang wilayah manapun di Korea Selatan. Menurut beberapa media barat, rudal Hwasong-6 juga telah dijual Korea Utara ke Iran, di mana rudal ini dikenal di Iran dengan nama Shehab-2.
Hwasong-5 Hwasong-5 adalah rudal balistik taktis permukaan-ke-permukaan jarak pendek yang terlahir dari rudal Elbrus R-17 Uni Soviet dan berdasarkan rudal balistik Scud-B buatan Rusia.
Hwasong-6 Hwasong-6 adalah rudal balistik taktis yang diproduksi oleh industri pertahanan Korea Utara. Uji coba pertama dari rudal Hwasong-6 telah sukses pada Juni 1990 (tiga kali penembakan). Rudal ini dibuat berdasarkan teknologi rudal Scud-C Rusia.
Hwasong-13 Sistem rudal balistik ini masih tergolong baru. Diresmikan saat parade militer Pyongyang 15 April 2012. Sistem rudal ini tiga tahap dengan sistem propulsi berbahan bakar cair. Rudal ini memiliki berat lepas landas 45 ton, dan mampu terbang balistik dengan jangkauan 7.500 km. Sistem peluncur rudal ini dipasang pada truk 16 roda (8 as) yang dirancang dan diproduksi di China.
Rudal Hwasong-13 yang dikenal juga sebagai KN-08 dan Nodong-C (Foto : Pedro Ugarte/Getty via WP)
Pada akhir 1980-an, Korea Utara telah meluncurkan sebuah program untuk mendesain dan memproduksi rudal balistik baru jarak menegah yang akhirnya dikenal sebagai Nodong yang memiliki jangkauan 1.000 km, bisa menargetkan Jepang. Rudal ini didasarkan pada desain rudal Scud-D, tetapi 50% lebih besar dan memiliki mesin yang lebih powerfull.
Nodong-A Nodong-A yang disebut juga Nodong 1 atau juga Rodong 1 adalah rudal balistik jarak menengah yang dibuat berdasarkan teknologi rudal balistik Scud-D Rusia. Sistem ini dikembangkan oleh industri pertahanan Korea Utara. Keberadaannya mulai terdeteksi dunia saat di landasan peluncuran pada Mei 1990.
Rudal Nodong memiliki jangkauan sekitar 1.000-1.300 km. Kekuatan rudal diyakini 2.000-4.000 m CEP untuk jarak maksimum.
Nodong-B (BM-25 Musudan) Nodong-B (BM-25 Musudan) adalah rudal balistik darat-ke-darat jarak menengah yang desainnya berbasis pada teknologi rudal balistik Scud-C buatan Rusia. Sistem ini dikembangkan oleh Industri Pertahanan Korea Utara dan diresmikan pertama kali saat parade militer 10 Oktober 2010, dalam perayaan ulang tahun ke-65 Partai Pekerja.
Intelijen Israel meyakini rudal ini memiliki jangkuan 2.500 km sedangkan Badan Pertahanan Rudal AS (MDA) memperkirakan rudal ini memiliki jangkuan 3.200 km, dan sumber intelijen lain menyebutkan 4.000 km.
Rudal Nodong-B (Foto via leaksource.wordpress.com)
Langkah selanjutnya pengembangan rudal Korea Utara adalah Taepodong-1 dan Taepodong-2 (dikenal sebagai Paektusan di Korea Utara).
Taepodong adalah rudal besar berbahan bakar cair. Perlu beberapa konfigurasi untuk meluncurkannya, seperti halnya roket ruang angkasa. Waktu persiapannya (perakitan) cukup lama, diluncurkan dari lokasi statis (non-mobile) dengan bantalan peluncuran di tanah.
Akurasi rudal tetap menjadi penting, namun bukan lagi hal utama karena satu ton hulu ledak kimia atau biologi dari rudal ini akan memiliki efek yang dahsyat. Korea Utara dikenal barat memiliki kemampuan untuk memproduksi senjata biologis dan kimia.
Taepodong-1 Taepodong-1 atau juga lebih dikenal oleh Korea Utara sebagai Paektusan-1, adalah rudal multi tahap pertama buatan dalam negeri. Jangkauannya sekitar 2.200 km, namun diyakini rudal ini kurang akurat ketimbang Nodong.
Taepoong-1 telah sukses uji coba terbang pada tanggal 31 Agustus 1998 sebagai roket ruang angkasa, tidak membawa muatan hulu ledak seperti rudal balistik biasanya, rudal ini membawa tahap ketiga dan kemungkinan berbahan bakar padat. Ini dimaksudkan untuk menempatkan satelit kecil ke orbit rendah Bumi.
Taepodong-2 Perkiraan kinerja Taepodong-2 jauh lebih spekulatif. Sebelum Desember 2012, Taepodong-2 sudah diuji coba sebanyak tiga kali, pada tahun 2006, 2009 dan April 2012.
Taepodong 2 atau Paektusan-2 juga merupakan rudal balistik tiga tahap, namun sudah jauh lebih maju daripada Taepodong-1. Jangkauannya diperkirakan 5.000 km hingga 15.000 km. Jika jangkauan ini memang benar, maka AS yang berjarak 9.693 km dari Korea Utara sudah bisa menjadi target Taepodong-2.
Taepodong-2 (Foto : ibtimes.com)
*Kendaraan yang membawa satu atau lebih rudal dan mampu memposisikannya dan kemudian meluncurkannya.
South Korean Hyunmu 3 cruise missile
After years of negotiation, South Korea and the United States have reached an agreement in support of extending the reach of the South’s ballistic missiles. Under this agreement, Seoul will be allowed to deploy ballistic missiles with a range of 800 kilometers bringing all of North Korea within striking range of the South’s missile arsenal.
Under a 1979 agreement between the two allies, revised later in 2001, South Korean ballistic missiles were limited to a range not to exceed 300 kilometers and a maximum weapon’s payload of 500 kilograms. Successive American administrations had sought to restrict Seoul’s ballistic missile capabilities in keeping with limitations outlined in the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), a voluntary international accord designed to limit a burgeoning proliferation of advanced missile technology.
The restrictive provisions of the 2001 agreement placed South Korea in an inferior position compared to North Korean missile capabilities, a situation that has caused Seoul considerable unease as Pyongyang continued an unrelenting policy of modernizing the capabilities of the North’s military force.
North Korea’s ruling regime has successfully developed a ballistic missile arsenal capable of reaching any location in the South and all US military facilities in Japan and Guam. In contrast, some key military sites in the North were previously out of range of South Korea’s ballistic missiles limiting the South’s ability to deliver a decisive retaliatory strike should hostilities once again erupt between the two Korean Peninsula rivals.
Pyongyang attempted a long-range rocket launch in April that proved to be a highly-publicized failure when the rocket exploded shortly after launch. This attempt was undertaken in total disregard of widespread international opposition and was quickly condemned by the United Nations’ Security Council. The United States and her Pacific allies considered this launch to be nothing more than a thinly-disguised ballistic missile test despite Pyongyang’s claims that this endeavor was an attempt to place a satellite into Earth orbit.
Hyunmoo 2 short range ballistic missile was developed by South Korea to comply with the MTCR restrictions. More advanced versions are likely to surpass those limits. The missile is likely to have an accuracy of about 30 meter (CEP) and is equipped with a cluster munition warhead. Photo released by ADD.
The revised US-South Korean agreement authorizes Seoul to develop ballistic missiles with a range of 800 kilometers while continuing to limit warhead capacity to 500 kilograms. The South would be able to deploy missiles of 550-kilometer range with an increased payload of one ton. The new arrangement also authorizes the South to deploy unmanned drones limited to carrying a payload of 2,500 kilograms should they have a maximum range in excess of 300 kilometers. Drones with a range of 300 kilometers or less could be deployed without regard to payload restrictions.
South Korea is also authorized to deploy cruise missiles of unlimited range provided they are restricted to a payload not to exceed 500 kilograms. Some media sources have previously reported that Seoul has already deployed cruise missiles capable of flying more than 1,000 kilometers, claims the Seoul government has repeatedly refused to comment on.
The more lenient attitude with cruise missiles is tacit acknowledgement that cruise missiles, in general, fly at lower altitudes and much slower speeds than ballistic missiles are capable of and are, therefore, easier to intercept and defend against. Despite their altitude and speed limitations, cruise missiles are generally considered to be more accurate than other missiles.
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters accompanying President Obama on a campaign trip to California that the provisions of this agreement “are a prudent, proportional, and specific response” to the challenges and dangers posed by North Korea’s advanced military capabilities.
Pyongyang has yet to deliver a media response to the new agreement, but is expected to unleash a flood of criticism and threats. Undoubtedly, Pyongyang will characterize this agreement as proof Washington and Seoul are preparing to go to war against the North.
Technically, the North and South are still at war since the Korean Conflict of 1950-1953 ended in a ceasefire and not a peace treaty.
Extending the range of the South’s ballistic missiles will likely ignite protests from Russia and China as well and is likely to be an irritant to Japan in light of the continuing territorial dispute between Tokyo and Seoul.
It seems only prudent to equip South Korean forces with weapons at least equal to those the North possesses. If for no other reason, this agreement may give Pyongyang pause in the future when provocative activities against the South are being considered.
In response to the failed April 13th North Korean attempt to launch a satellite using a long-range ballistic missile, South Korea released a video showing launches of unidentified cruise missile and a ballistic missile, both indigenously developed in South Korea. The cruise missile was apparently the Hyunmoo 3, the ballistic missile is most obviously the Hyunmoo 2 developed in the late 1990s. The presentation made by Major General Shin Won-sik, an officer responsible for policy planning at the Ministry of defense in Seoul was meant to show North Korea that the south had weapons that could reach anywhere in the north. The two missile programs were developed indigenously and secretly for the at least four decades, extending the reach and offensive capability of South Korea to balance a large number of ballistic missiles deployed by the North. North Korea has about 600 ballistic missiles aimed at South Korea.
Three years ago, South Korean media reported that a new cruise missile, with a range of 1,000 kilometers had secretly entered production in 2008. This has followed a series of test flights, some conducted in 2006, as mentioned in a US embassy brief published by Wikileaks.
The recent information and video release indicates both programs are well. The ballistic missile program is progressing through flight-testing. The short-range ballistic Hyunmoo II ballistic missile with a range of 300 km uses solid propellant and has GPS/INS guidance, enabling it to hit a target at ‘several tens of meters’ accuracy. To compensate for the relatively low accuracy it is expected the warhead uses cluster munitions. Hyunamoo II has the general shape of the Russian Iskander missile. The ready to fire missiles are carried in four trailer-mounted cylindrical launchers-containers.
The majority of the work took place at the South Korean ADD, with assistance from abroad. These developments were conducted at low profile, as Seoul was facing significant U.S. objection to such activities.
Hyunmoo 3 cruise missile under development at LIG Nex-1 under the ADD program is expected to become operational by 2014. Photo: ADD
The Koreans began experimenting with ballistic missiles during the 1980s, converting a Nike Hercules Surface to Air missile into a ballistic missile, a process similar to that taken be the Chinese converting an SA-2 into the CSS-8 ballistic missile. While the Koreans strived to extend the range and payload of their missiles, to meet the challenge posed by North Korean weapons, they were content with the quiet understanding form Washington to limit their missile’s range to 180 km; Since the mid- 1990s Seoul gradually expanded the limits of their missiles, along with U.S. relaxation of export permits, providing Seoul access to the ATACMS-1a missile, meeting the upper limit of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). South Korea has accepted the limitations of MTCR but public opinion in the country is calling for that limit to be broken, thus placing the entire area of its hostile neighbor North Korea vulnerable to ballistic missile attack from the south. Needless to say, North Korea is not accepting any limitations of missile development, manufacturing or export.In parallel, the Koreans began development of a cruise missile, initially reaching 500km and later extending maximum range beyond 1000km, both challenging the MTCR limits. Most recently the missile attained further increased range of 1,500 km, placing at risk not only North Korea, but also parts of China and Japan.
Hyunmoo 2 short range ballistic missile was developed by South Korea to comply with the MTCR restrictions. More advanced versions are likely to surpass those limits. The missile is likely to have an accuracy of about 30 meter (CEP) and is equipped with a cluster munition warhead. Photo released by ADD.
The Hyunmoo III cruise missile currently undergoing flight-testing is expected to become operational by 2014. These missiles are likely being developed with foreign assistance; according to unconfirmed data, the ADD is cooperating with the German-Swedish Taurus consortium, as the Europeans are particularly interested in offering the advanced warhead developed for the Taurus 350 weapon.
The Land-based weapon is launched from a launcher container and is accelerated by a booster to reach initial speed. Its accuracy of 3-5 meters indicates the use of a terminal homing device, augmenting the midcourse guidance performed through the majority of the cruising flight by GPS/INS/terrain navigation performed through low-altitude, high subsonic speed. This family of land attack cruise missiles (LACM) includes three versions – the original ground launched long range missile (GLCM) Hyunmoo IIIA (Cheon Ryong, also known as Eagle 3) with a range of 1000 km and an air launched medium range (ALCM) and surface/submarine launch version, both having a range of more than 500 km and a warhead likely to weight 400kg. The air launched version of the missile is also known as Hyunmoo IIIB (Boramae) and the surface / submarine launched version (SLCM) is calles Hyunmoo IIIC (Chonzyong), destined for the KDX-III destroyers (each will be equipped with 30 such missiles).
These cruise missiles employ mostly domestically developed technology. Similar weapons are also developed by Pakistan, India and China. Like the Tomahawk, Hyunmoo 3 appears to be about 6 meters (19 feet) long, weighs 1.5 tons, has a half ton warhead and is launched from concealed, fortified launch sites dug up into the hills facing North Korea. The missile developer is LIG Nex1, the country’s largest precision weapon system house. Following the completion of the Hyunmoo 3 the company is expected to commence development of a supersonic cruise missile, which has yet to have its own code-name, with the state-run Agency for Defense Development.
Short Range Missiles Have Their Limits
The limited range of its missile force has always been a cause for tension, as to bring such missiles into effect as deterrent weapons they had to be forward deployed closer to the demilitarized zone (DMZ), causing alerts on both sides. In 2011 South Korea announced it is forward deploying its ATACMS missiles close to the North Korean border. ATACMS is a 610mm rocket that fits in the same size container that normally holds six 227mm MLRS rockets. The ATACMS version in South Korean service has a range of 165 kilometers. That makes it capable of reaching many targets in theater but not the strategic targets in the depth of North Korea, such as the capital Pyongyang, which is 220 kilometers north of the DMZ). South Korea only has 220 ATACMS missiles. All of them have cluster bomb warheads. Half of them are unguided, and have a range of 128 kilometers. The other half have smaller warheads, GPS guidance and a range of 165 kilometers. This is apparently the version moved close to the border, in order to make the North Koreans nervous. South Korea originally bought ATACMS in 1998 not as a deterrent weapon but to have a weapon that could go after distant North Korean artillery and large concentrations of tanks.
Menurut sebuah laporan Pentagon, kemajuan Korea Utara dalam mengembangkan senjata nuklir yang bisa mencapai Amerika Serikat tergantung pada tes rudal dan nuklir berikutnya. Laporan tahunan Pentagon kepada Kongres AS yang disajikan Kamis lalu itu memberikan gambaran tentang ancaman militer Korea Utara dan membahas kemajuan yang dicapai negara tertutup itu dalam hal mengembangkan nuklir, dirilis oleh CNN Jumat, 3 Mei 2013.
Meskipun begitu, laporan Pentagon itu tidak mengungkapkan kapan Korea Utara akan bisa mengembangkan nuklir yang sepenuhnya operasional yang mampu mencapai daratan AS.
Laporan ini juga membahas program rudal balistik Korea Utara sebagai program ambisius dan menyatakan bahwa laju kemajuan Korea Utara ini akan tergantung, sebagian, pada sumber daya yang berdedikasi dalam hal ini, dan seberapa sering melakukan uji coba.
Disebutkan juga bahwa jenis roket jarak jauh Korea Utara (Unha-3) yang diluncurkan pada bulan Desember lalu untuk menempatkan satelit cuaca di orbit, bisa mencapai Amerika Serikat jika dikonfigurasi lebih lanjut menjadi rudal balistik antar benua (ICBM) sekaligus mampu membawa muatan (hulu ledak) nuklir.
Peluncuran roket pada bulan Desember dan uji coba nuklir bawah tanah pada bulan Februari oleh Korea Utara menimbulkan kecaman dunia internasional dan berujung pada sanksi PBB yang lebih keras. Sebagai tanggapannya (menurut barat), Korea Utara meningkatkan retorika dan tindakan provokatif, termasuk mengancam untuk melakukan serangan pre-emptive terhadap Korea Selatan dan Amerika Serikat.
Two Taurus KEPD 350 missiles can be carried on the Boeing F-15K.
South Korea will likely buy the Taurus KEPD 350 long-range air-to-surface cruise missiles next year. “We intend to choose the Taurus missiles and integrate them,” Kim Kwan-jin said at a parliamentary meeting of the defences committee in Seoul. “U.S. missiles were one of the options we were considering, but because it is difficult for them to be sold to Korea, the only option we have is the Taurus,” Kim added (Reuters). A military officer confirmed Wednesday price negotiations with the German-Swedish Taurus Systems joint venture are due to start soon. Seoul is seeking to equip the next batch of fighter aircraft it intends to buy with the new missile. The Taurus would be the first strategic weapon Seoul has imported from Europe rather than the U.S.
South Korea also considered buying the AGM-159 JASSM made in the US by Lockheed Martin, but the export of this missile was not cleared by Congress. The only long-range missiles in the Air Force’s inventory are the SLAM-ER missiles built by Boeing. SLAM-ER was delivered with the recent batch of F-15K Slam Eagle, also built by Boeing. SLAM-ER has a range of 278 km. Taurus Systems is offering two versions of the missile – one at the Taurus KEPD 350MR with a range of 300 km and the KEPD 350 with a range ‘exceeding 500km’. South Korea is likely opt for the extended range version as it seek to extend the range of its strike weapons, in order to cover the entire area of its rival in the north, particularly medium-range ballistic missiles bases located in the North East, and out of reach of the South.
Assisted by the PIMPF counter fuze technology, KEPD’s MEPHISTO warhead can destroy underground bunkers with high effectiveness and minimum collateral risk. Photo: Taurus Systems
Since the KEPD 350 exceeds the range limit imposed by the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR)Taurus Systems maintained its warhead weight below the MTCR threshold of 500 kg. The 480 kg warhead known as Mephisto (Multi-Effect Penetrator, HIgh Sophisticated and Target Optimised (MEPHISTO) combines effective penetration for hard and deeply buried targets (HDBT) with blast-and-fragmentation capabilities against point and area targets. Using the Programmable Intelligent Multi-Purpose Fuze (PIMPF) the missile is capable of penetrating up to six meters of reinforced concrete and perforate several concrete floor levels on its way, exploding exactly at the level required by the mission planners.
The missile uses a combination of navigation methods, including Terrain Referenced Navigation (TRN) and Image Based Navigation (IBN), Inertial Navigation System/Global Positioning System (INS/GPS) delivering a target error rate of 2 to 3 meters over 500km flight.
Taurus Systems GmbH is a joint venture set by the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) and Sweden’s SAAB Bofors Dynamics. The Taurus is currently in service with the German and Spanish Air Forces, deployed on Tornado and Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets. It is also being offered to several international customers, including India.
The country is expected to buy 200 such missiles, to be integrated with F-15K and and KF-16 fighter jets. The new missile is also likely to be carried by the next generation strike fighter (FX-3) Seoul is planning to buy – this could be F-15SE, F-35 or Eurofighter Typhoon.
Helikopter AH-64E Apache saat melundurkan roket AGM-114 Hellfire di udara. Helikopter serang buatan Boeing Company, Amerika Serikat, ini sekelas dengan Eurocopter Tiger dan Kaman Ka-52 Aligator buatan Rusia. (air.attack.com)
... kehadiran AH-64E Apache Guardian itu, Korea Selatan semakin percaya diri menghadapi provokasi Korea Utara... "
Seoul (itmiliter) - Korea Selatan mengonfirmasik pembelian 36 unit helikopter serang Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian senilai 1,5 miliar dolar Amerika Serikat. Pembelian itu terjadi saat ketegangan makin memuncak di Semenanjung Korea.
Badan Program Pengadaan Alat Pertahanan (DAPA) Korea Selatan, mengatakan, ke-36 AH-64E Apache Guardian itu akan lengkap hadir pada 2016. Jika lengkap semua, Korea Selatan bisa membuat tiga skuadron kaveleri udara terdiri helikopter serang ini.
Apache merupakan helikopter serang yang dapat menghancurkan tank utama dan kendaraan lapis baja lain, selain memberi payung udara pada operasi pasukan infantri serta misi militer lain. Dia memiliki empat cantelan (pods) bagi roket AGM-114 Hellfire dan roket udara-darat Hydra-70.
Dengan kehadiran AH-64E Apache Guardian itu, Korea Selatan semakin percaya diri menghadapi provokasi Korea Utara.
Keputusan membeli 36 AH-64E Apache Guardianitu dibuat saat semenanjung Korea tetap berada dalam keadaan ketegangan militer yang tinggi dengan Korea Utara yang mengancam "perang thermo-nuklir" karena marah pada sanksi-sanksi PBB yang baru dan pelatihan militer gabungan Amerika Serikat-Korea Selatan, Foal Eagle 2013.
Badan itu menolak merinci harga dan hanya mengatakan perjanjian itu termasuk alih teknologi tetapi kantor berita Yonhap mengatakan proyek itu akan menelan biaya 1,8 triliun won atau 1,5 miliar dolar Amerika Serikat.
Korea Selatan akan merupakan negara keempat membeli helikopter bermesin dua itu setelah Amerika Serikat, Taiwan dan Arab Saudi, kata Yonhap.
Helikopter itu akan menggantikan satu armada helikopter AH-1 Cobra yang telah beroperasi selama puluhan tahun di Korea Selatan, kata para pejabat DAPA.
