US considers SM-2 sale to South Korea

The US State Department has made a determination approving a potential Foreign Military Sale (FMS) of SM-2 Block IIIB Standard missiles, containers and support to South Korea for $65 million, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced on 5 July.

South Korea has requested a possible sale of 17 SM-2 Block IIIB Standard Missiles and 17 SM-2 missile containers. The request also includes publications and technical data; personnel training and training equipment; US government and contractor technical assistance, and other related logistics support.

The missiles will be used by the Republic of Korea Navy to supplement its existing SM-2 Block IIIA/IIIB inventory.

Raytheon Electronic Systems will be the principal contractor of the proposed sale.

The SM-2 features anti-air warfare and limited anti-surface warfare capability against anti-ship missiles and aircraft. It has an effective range of 90nm and an altitude ceiling of 65,000ft. Its Block IIIA and IIIB variants have semi-active radar seeker technologies in interrupted and continuous wave guidance modes.