Posted on 01/04/2011 10:01:38 AM PST by sukhoi-30mki
Seoul to deploy Israeli guided missiles on Yeonpyeong in Feb
Attack copters to be stationed on the island
By Jung Sung-ki
South Korea’s military plans to deploy Israeli-built precision-guided anti-tank missiles to Yeonpyeong Island next month near the western sea border with North Korea, a government source said Tuesday.
The deployment of the GPS-guided “Spike” missile is part of efforts to help achieve an early fortification of Yeonpyeong and four other islands near the border ― Northern Limit Line (NLL) ― vulnerable to North Korean provocations, the source told The Korea Times.
In its year-end report to President Lee Myung-bak last month, the Ministry of National Defense unveiled a plan to beef up the security of the five islands near the border including deployment of the missiles. The ministry said that it would create a West Sea defense command, comprising 12,000 troops from the three services, to that end.
On top of that, the military has also decided to permanently deploy at least four AH-1S Cobra helicopters to Yeonpyeong in a bid to thwart North Korea’s possible maritime infiltration of the border islands.
“The Cobra helicopters will be shipped to the island soon and stationed there to deter a North Korean infiltration,” said the source.
On Nov. 23, the North fired about 170 shells from its coastal artillery guns and multiple rocket launchers onto Yeonpyeong, killing four South Koreans. The South failed to strike the enemy artillery guns precisely because most of the North’s weapons are hidden in mountain tunnels or caves.
The Spike missile, developed by Israel’s Rafael Advance Defense System, is said to be capable of neutralizing such enemy strongholds, as the missile is equipped with a high-explosive warhead and automatic self-guidance systems led by an imaging infrared seeker.
Last month, Seoul’s National Assembly endorsed nearly 90 billion won to buy Spike systems. The Assembly also approved budget plans to acquire advanced weapons systems, such as artillery-detecting radar, bunker-busting bombs and precision air-to-ground missiles, to be used in defending the border islands.
“Scores of Spike units will be procured from the Israeli military under a government-to-government negotiation in an effort to speed up the deployment of high-tech weapons systems on Yeonpyeong,” said the source.
Originally, the Seoul government sought to purchase the missile system from the manufacturer. But the manufacturer said it didn’t have enough in its inventory, so it would take at least a year to deliver new products to South Korea, according to the source.
Anti tank? Those islands are not that big.
Nope, it’s geared for more heavier targets like bunkers, artillery or small naval vessels. It’s a relatively long range weapon (more than 15 miles).
http://defense-update.com/features/2009/november/spike_nlos_301109.html
That makes a lot more sense. Korea Times got in wrong in your original article.
No they didn't. But you do have to read past the first sentence of the fine article.
"The Spike missile, developed by Israel’s Rafael Advance Defense System, is said to be capable of neutralizing such enemy strongholds, as the missile is equipped with a high-explosive warhead and automatic self-guidance systems led by an imaging infrared seeker."
Israeli-built precision-guided anti-tank... GPS-guided "Spike" missile
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