Agence France-Presse, SEOUL: South Korea is developing a new surface-to-air missile to replace its outdated, US-made Hawk missiles, a state-run defense research institute said.
The Agency for Defence Development (ADD) said it had been working on the project worth 555.8 bln won since 1998 with a view to completing it by 2010.
'The new missiles will replace Hawk missiles' which have been deployed in South Korea since 1964, a spokesman at the ADD told Agence France-Presse.
The missiles, which are yet to be named, will have a 50-kilometer range and reach an altitude of 25 km, Yonhap news agency said.
South Korea also plans to buy 48 US-made Patriot missiles to replace US-made Nike Hercules missiles which are used to intercept incoming enemy aircraft at high altitudes.
