South Korea Launches Mass Production of New M-SAM Missile

South Korea is planning to start mass production of a new M-SAM mid-range surface-to-air missile for the Air Force this year following a successful test-fire.

The missile has a 40-kilometer range and is also called “Cheongung.” It was developed in South Korea in 2011 in order to replace the Air Force's aging batteries of the US MIM-23 Hawk, Yonhap reports.

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration said it recently carried out a successful test launch of the initial M-SAM, sealing the quality certification.

“The latest quality certification firing has proven the excellent quality of Cheongung,” the Defense Acquisition Program Administration said in a statement, adding that paramount efforts will be made to maximize the missile's contribution to the military.