[Anchor Lead]
An air defense artillery competition featuring South Korea's Air Force surface-to-air missiles has been held to prepare for defending the nation's airspace. The Korean Cheongung missile was test-fired for the first time at the competition. Here’s a look at its firing capabilities.
[Pkg]
A missile fired from a vertical launch tube soars and lights up the sky. Flying at the speed of Mach 4.5, the missile strikes virtual enemy aircraft 40 km away. Developed with domestic technologies, the surface-to-air Cheongung Block-1 missile has successfully carried out its first live-fire drill. What's especially noteworthy is that it can exchange fire with the enemy at 360 degrees without moving the launch pad.
[Soundbite] Mjr. Lee Seung-jun (Chief of Cheongung Unit) : "This live-fire drill has demonstrated the accurate striking capabilities of the Cheongung missile."
The intermediate-range Patriot missiles also demonstrated their stable performance by striking virtual enemy aircraft approaching them at an altitude of two kilometers. Enemy aircraft that penetrated the airspace at low altitude were struck by the short-rang missiles. Some 300 people from ten military divisions participated in this year's Air Defense Artillery competition to enhance
their air defense capabilities. Meanwhile, the South Korean Navy has unveiled its fourth new amphibious assault ship named Nojeokbong. The new ship can carry 300 armed landing troops along with tanks, amphibious assault vehicles and two amphibious helicopters.
