KF-X will be Equipped with Indigenous Air-Launched Supersonic Anti-Ship Missile

01 April 2020

South Korean supersonic anti-ship missile reportedly scheduled to enter service this year, indigenous aerial platforms (FA-50/KF-X) could be equiped with this missile (image : KAI)

[Biz Korea] We are considering the introduction of a air-launched supersonic anti-ship missile capable of neutralizing aircraft carriers in neighboring countries. According to officials of the military, it was confirmed that in the early March of the March, the announcement of a prior research survey analysis was issued under the name of the 'Air-launched Missile-2'. It will begin in August of this year, and will be conducted for 4 months until December. 

In general, anti-ship missiles fly at subsonic speeds of about 0.5 to 0.7 Mach, while supersonic anti-ship missiles fly at Mach 2 to 3, making it very difficult to intercept from the defending side. It is especially known as a useful weapon for neutralizing aircraft carriers. As an example, the 'Hsiung Feng-III supersonic anti-ship missile' developed and deployed by Taiwan independently flies at a speed of Mach 2 or more and has the nickname of 'carrier killer', that is, the aircraft carrier killer.

Hsiung Feng-III supersonic anti-ship missile (photo : James Tung)

In the course of the test, missiles broke through the hull of large landing ship tanks.  Because it is faster than subsonic anti-ship missiles, it produces considerable power with pure kinetic energy alone. For this reason, China, a neighboring country, has developed and transformed various types of supersonic anti-ship missiles that can be launched from the ground, sea, and underwater and air.

Japan is also known to have developed an ASM-3 supersonic  anti-ship missiles equipped and operated by F-2 fighters. In January 2018, it was reported that development was completed in Japan, but instead of going into mass production, it is promoting improvement to extend the range. In this regard, military expert Moon Seung-beom, an issuer of monthly Defense Times Korea, said, "This movement in Japan is interpreted as being highly aware of China's aircraft carrier."

Unlike neighboring countries such as China, Japan, and Taiwan, Korea has not yet used supersonic anti-ship missiles. However, it was reported that development was in progress with the goal of actual deployment this year through media reports last year. Although no detailed information on the supersonic anti-ship missile being developed as a confidential business, that is, as a confidential business, has not been released, developments have been reviewed since 2007 and are expected to operate on land, sea and underwater.

F-2 fighter with ASM-3 supersonic anti-ship missiles (photo : Hirotoshi)

It is also a matter of how our military will introduce supersonic anti-ship missile. Prior studies have not yet been conducted, but our main importers of weapons, the United States and Europe, do not have supersonic anti-ship missiles. For this reason, plans to improve the supersonic anti-ship missiles currently being developed in Korea are considered promising.

In the case of supersonic anti-ship missile, it is planned to be installed and operated on a fighter plane. In the case of F-35A, F-15K, and KF-16 fighter jets operated by the Air Force, the U.S. government and fighter manufacturer's permission are required when integrating domestically developed weapons into U.S. fighters. And a huge budget for test evaluation. For this reason, domestic defense industry officials consider that it is highly likely to be mounted on the KF-X, a Korean fighter, considering the future business period. Particularly, in the case of KF-X, there are no restrictions on the installation of domestic armament since it is progressed by domestic development.

(BizHankook)