US Temporarily Approves Sale of 400km Range SM-6 Fleet Air Defense Missiles to South Korea

On the 14th (local time), the U.S. government tentatively approved the sale of SM-6 fleet air defense interceptor missiles to South Korea through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.

SM-6 Fleet Air Defense Interceptor Missile [Image source=U.S. Department of Defense Visual Information Distribution Service]

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) under the U.S. Department of Defense announced that the State Department approved the purchase of SM-6 missiles and related equipment worth $650 million (approximately 850 billion KRW) requested by the South Korean government. The final sale will be executed after congressional approval.

The South Korean government requested to purchase up to 38 SM-6 missiles. In March, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) held the 150th Defense Acquisition Program Promotion Committee meeting and decided to secure U.S.-made SM-6 missiles through the FMS program to be mounted on the KDX-Ⅲ Aegis destroyers.

The SM-6 has a maximum range of over 400 km and employs an active guidance system that allows the missile to directly track targets using its own radar, significantly enhancing the ship’s simultaneous engagement capability. It can intercept aircraft, ballistic missiles, and cruise missiles. The U.S. also decided to sell the SM-6 to Japan last year.

The South Korean government expects that by introducing the SM-6, it will be possible to establish a denser maritime air defense network, thereby significantly strengthening its ability to respond to North Korean cruise and ballistic missiles.

The DSCA explained, "The proposed sale will support U.S. foreign policy goals and national security objectives by improving the security of a key ally that helps maintain political stability and economic development in the Indo-Pacific region."

It added, "This sale will enhance South Korea’s capability to respond to current and future threats and further improve interoperability with the U.S. and other allies. There will be no difficulties for the South Korean military in acquiring the missiles, and this sale will not alter the fundamental military balance in the region."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.