world
UAE Sends Military Planes to South Korea for Cheongung Missile Transport
The United Arab Emirates dispatched C-17 transport aircraft to Daegu Air Base this week to move batches of the Korean-made Cheongung interceptor missile system. The operation follows an earlier March shipment and occurs amid regional conflict.
upi.comAudio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
Developing·Limited corroboration so far. This page will refresh as more sources emerge.
The United Arab Emirates has sent military transport planes to South Korea to move multiple batches of the Cheongung interceptor missile system, military and defense industry sources said Friday. The UAE Air Force began the operation this week at an air base in Daegu, about 240 kilometers southeast of Seoul.
A C-17 aircraft was observed on standby Friday, with plans to send a total of eight aircraft for successive shipments.
Background on the Cheongung System Cheongung, also known as M-SAM II, is a mid-range surface-to-air missile system designed to intercept hostile missiles below 40 kilometers altitude. Each battery includes four mobile launchers carrying eight missiles each, for a total of 32 interceptors per battery, along with multifunction radar providing 360-degree surveillance.
The UAE signed a $3.5 billion contract in 2022 for 10 Cheongung batteries, two of which are now in active service. The same type of aircraft was seen at the Daegu base in March, shortly after the outbreak of the U.S.-Iran war, and reportedly returned with an earlier shipment of the missiles.
The Cheongung systems have been reported to have successfully engaged Iranian targets in the ongoing conflict. This marks the second known early transport of the missile system by the UAE.
