Hanwha Aerospace offers next-generation air defense systems to the Middle East at IDEX 2025.

At IDEX 2025, Hanwha Aerospace is engaged in developing and exporting advanced air defense systems, focusing on addressing evolving missile threats. The company has signed multiple agreements with Middle Eastern countries, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia, to deliver air defense capabilities. In addition to the Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (M-SAM) system, Hanwha is working toward deploying the Long-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (L-SAM), a system functionally similar to the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), designed to counter high-altitude ballistic threats.
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At IDEX 2025, Hanwha Aerospace is presenting the L-SAM, an upper-tier missile defense system designed to intercept ballistic threats at altitudes between 50 and 60 kilometers. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

The UAE signed a contract in 2022 for the M-SAM system, also referred to as Cheongung (Sky Arrow), which was developed in cooperation with South Korea’s Agency for Defense Development (ADD). The contract, valued at approximately USD 3.5 billion, involved Hanwha Aerospace supplying missile launchers, propulsion systems, and transport vehicles, while Hanwha Systems provided a Multi-Function Radar (MFR) for target detection and tracking. Hanwha Aerospace has stated that its approach goes beyond providing air defense systems to include industrial cooperation, such as training, maintenance support, and potential technology transfers to customer nations. A standard M-SAM battery consists of a mobile radar, a command-post vehicle, and four launchers, each carrying eight vertically launched missiles in canisters.

The M-SAM, also known as KM-SAM, Cheolmae-2, or Cheongung, is a South Korean medium-range surface-to-air missile system developed to replace the aging MIM-23 HAWK systems within the Korean Air and Missile Defense (KAMD) framework. Development began in 2001, with Block-I completed in 2011, Block-II in 2017, and Block-III set to begin development in 2024. Integrated into South Korea’s multi-layered missile defense system, the M-SAM uses a combination of inertial navigation, midcourse updates, and terminal active radar homing to engage both aircraft and ballistic missiles. Block-I entered service in 2016 with a range of 40 km and a flight ceiling of 15 km, while Block-II, introduced in 2021, extended its range to 50 km, increased its interception altitude to 20 km, and achieved a maximum speed of Mach 5. The system is designed to engage up to six targets simultaneously and includes electronic warfare countermeasures.

The UAE acquired the M-SAM Block-II variant, which features improved maneuverability and a hit-to-kill capability against ballistic missiles. The system operates within a range of 20 to 50 kilometers, with an interception altitude of 15 to 40 kilometers depending on the target type, and a maximum missile speed of Mach 5 (1.7 km/s). Following the UAE’s acquisition, Saudi Arabia and Iraq placed additional orders for the M-SAM II in 2023 and 2024, respectively.

Hanwha Aerospace is also developing the L-SAM, an upper-tier missile defense system designed to intercept ballistic threats at altitudes between 50 and 60 kilometers. The system employs a hit-to-kill interception method and is designed to integrate with lower-tier air defense systems. The L-SAM Multi-Function Radar (MFR), developed by Hanwha Systems, provides tracking capabilities for various airborne threats, including ballistic missiles, aircraft, and cruise missiles. The engagement process involves multiple steps, from initial detection and tracking to missile launch and final interception, all managed through a command and control system. The L-SAM’s guidance and propulsion technology is optimized for high-altitude interception with precision engagement capabilities. Following development and testing phases expected to conclude in late 2024, mass production is planned for 2027. Hanwha Aerospace is also working on the L-SAM II, a next-generation system under a state project with the ADD. Expected to be completed by 2028, L-SAM II aims to increase defensive coverage by a factor of three to four compared to existing systems, with expanded interception capabilities at higher altitudes.

At IDEX 2025, Hanwha Aerospace exhibited additional air defense systems alongside the KM-SAM, including the Hybrid Short-Range Air Defense (H-SHORAD) and a mobile Anti-Drone System. The H-SHORAD is a wheeled vehicle equipped with a 30mm/40mm unmanned turret, a surface-to-air missile system, and a 3D AESA radar. It is designed to track and engage small UAVs and other aerial threats in various terrain and weather conditions. The mobile Anti-Drone System is designed to detect and identify low-flying, small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and provides multi-layered responses at varying distances. It includes jammer technology, drone capture mechanisms, and laser systems capable of neutralizing UAVs at altitudes between 1 and 3 kilometers. The system is designed for deployment to protect infrastructure such as government buildings, airports, and oil refineries against threats from drone swarms and small UAVs.

Based on an 8x8 chassis, the new H-SHORAD is equipped with a 30mm unmanned turret, a surface-to-air missile system, and a 3D AESA radar. (Picture source: Army Recognition)