The United Arab Emirates appears to have received dozens of Cheongung-II interceptor missiles from South Korea, according to multiple reports Tuesday.
Local wire service News1 reported that a UAE Air Force C-17 strategic transport aircraft was spotted departing from Daegu Airport, near South Korea’s K2 Air Base, on Monday afternoon.
According to reports, the UAE’s C-17 transport aircraft arrived at Daegu Airport late Monday night, and the Cheongung-II interceptor missiles — developed by South Korean missile manufacturer LIG Nex1 — were believed to have been transported aboard the aircraft.
Photos taken at the site showed the aircraft bore the UAE national flag on its tail fin and the words “UAE AIR FORCE” on the fuselage. The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a strategic airlifter capable of carrying up to about 77 tons of cargo and is widely used to transport large military equipment.
The development comes amid mounting speculation that Cheongung-II interceptors deployed in the UAE were recently activated alongside US-made Patriot missile systems in response to missile threats from Iran.
The missiles are believed to have been assembled at LIG Nex1’s facility in the nearby Gumi defense industrial complex.
“If the UAE aircraft was there to pick up Cheongung-II interceptors, Daegu would be a logical stop,” a defense industry official said on condition of anonymity. “LIG Nex1’s assembly facility in nearby Gumi is close to the airport, making it convenient for loading and transport.”
On Tuesday, Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, a UAE political scientist widely understood to be a close confidant of UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, thanked South Korea in a social media post.
“I sincerely thank South Korea for quickly providing 30 interceptor missiles,” Abdulla wrote. “The missiles were transported rapidly by a C-17 aircraft. A friend in need is a true friend.”
The UAE signed a contract with South Korea in 2022 to purchase 10 Cheongung-II missile batteries. Two of the batteries have so far been deployed in the country.
Earlier on March 6, Rep. Yu Yong-weon of the People Power Party said about 60 interceptor missiles had been fired from the two Cheongung-II batteries deployed in the UAE following the outbreak of the Iran war, recording a reported interception success rate of 96 percent, citing sources familiar with the matter.
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