US mulls Aegis sale to Korea
The US State Department has approved a possible foreign military sale of Aegis combat systems to South Korea, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced on 9 June.
The potential sale also includes associated equipment, parts and logistical support for an estimated $1.91 billion. The Aegis system is being sought by South Korea to enhance the capabilities of its naval ships and upgrade its navy’s ballistic missile defence and shipboard combat capability.
South Korea has requested three Aegis shipboard combat systems, three MK-41 vertical launching systems, three common data link management systems and three AN/UPX-29(V) identification friend or foe interrogators. It has also requested spare and repair parts, publications and technical documentation, support equipment, logistics support services and other related services.
Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems and Training, Raytheon, and General Dynamics Armament Systems will be the principle contractors for the sale if it goes ahead.
More from Naval Warfare
-
How France’s SNLE 3G programme is reshaping the naval nuclear industrial base
Extending far beyond a four-submarine replacement programme, France’s ballistic missile submarine effort is a decades-long industrial effort designed to preserve the country’s ability to build and sustain nuclear-powered strategic platforms.
-
China’s mineral processing dominance exposes naval supply chain vulnerabilities
Competition for critical minerals, and China’s dominance of their processing, is emerging as a decisive factor in future naval procurement programmes.
-
Suppliers await next step in Australia’s mine warfare transition
Australia’s mine countermeasure capability remains in flux as the Huon-class nears retirement, but accelerated investment in autonomous systems is opening a path for industry.
-
Can the US Navy ask Indo-Pacific allies to do more while training with them less?
As the Iran War draws US ships and marine corps units away from the Indo-Pacific, curtailed exercises and a temporary carrier gap are exposing tensions between Washington’s demand for more self-reliant allies and the joint training needed to realise that ambition.
-
How could Rheinmetall’s GMF 140 fit with ongoing programmes in North America?
With Canada committed to its River-class replacement and the USN pursuing a lower-cost frigate, Rheinmetall will need to demonstrate where the GMF 140 can fill a capability gap in the North American fleet.