6 months ago
TEMPO.CO, Seoul - South Korea will deploy laser weapons to shoot down North Korean drones this year, becoming the world's first country to deploy and operate such weapons in the military, the country's arms procurement agency said on Thursday, July 11.
South Korea has called its laser program the "StarWars project".
The drone-zapping laser weapons the South Korean military has developed with Hanwha Aerospace (012450.KS) are effective and cheap, with 2,000 won ($1.45) per shot, but quiet and invisible, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said in a statement.
"Our country is becoming the first country in the world to deploy and operate laser weapons, and our military's response capabilities on North Korea's drone provocation will be further strengthened," DAPA said, calling those weapons a game changer in the future battlefield.
The laser weapons shoot down flying drones by burning down engines or other electric equipment in drones with beams of light for 10 to 20 seconds, a DAPA spokesperson explained at a briefing.
Five North Korean drones crossed into South Korea, which is technically still at war with Pyongyang, in December, prompting Seoul to scramble fighter jets and attack helicopters and try to shoot them down, in the first such intrusion since 2017.
Fighting in the 1950-1953 Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty, and a Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between the two Koreas.
North and South Korea have both violated the armistice that governs their shared border by sending drones into each other's airspace, the United States has said.
Countries including South Korea, China, and the United Kingdom are racing to develop and deploy laser weapons, also known as directed energy weapons, according to a U.S. nonprofit think tank RAND Corporation.
The think tank has said there's substantial interest in those weapons to help counter the proliferation of unmanned systems and sasaran missiles in flight or satellites in orbit.
($1 = 1,382.1500 won)
REUTERS
Editor's Choice: North Korea Claims Successful Test to Develop Multiple Warhead Missile
Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
Rains Pound South Korea Causing Landslides, Bullet Trains Slowed
22 jam lalu
South Korea's national rail company on Wednesday, July 10, suspended some regular routes and slowed bullet trains because of heavy rain
Japan Must Strengthen NATO Ties to Safeguard Global Peace, PM Says
1 hari lalu
Russia's deepening military cooperation with North Korea has underlined the need for Japan to forge closer ties with NATO.
Indonesia to Develop Nuclear Energy as Part of Renewable Energy Mix
2 hari lalu
Indonesia's Energy Minister Arifin Tasrif says that nuclear energy is part of the country's renewable energy mix plan.
Top 5 People with Highest IQ in the World
2 hari lalu
IQ scores are often used as a standard for measuring a person's level of intelligence.
Population Crisis: A Look at Some Countries' Policies to Combat Falling Birth Rates
3 hari lalu
Some countries have experienced low birth rates and have taken various anticipatory steps.
Korean Air Adjusts In-flight Meal Service Amid Rising Turbulence Incidents
6 hari lalu
South Korean flag carrier Korean Air recently decides to adjust its in-flight meal policy on medium and long-haul flights to prioritize safety.
Indonesia Targets Production of 600,000 EV Units by 2030
7 hari lalu
Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan targets electric vehicle (EV) production in Indonesia to reach 600,000 units by 2030.
South Korea Invests US$14bn in Indonesia since 2019: Minister Bahlil
8 hari lalu
Bahlil Lahadalia says South Korea has realized US$14 billion or Rp200 trillion worth of investment in Indonesia since 2019.
4 Asian Leaders that Resign Posts after Failing Duties
9 hari lalu
The following are four government officials in Asian countries who resigned from their posts after admitting their failure.
More Than 40 UN Member States Condemn Russia's Arms Transfers from to North Korea
10 hari lalu
Over 40 UN member states, including the US, on Friday condemned Russia's "unlawful" arms transfers to North Korea in a joint statement.
English (US) · 
Indonesian (ID) · 