Iraq is set to dramatically upgrade its national air defence architecture with the imminent arrival of the South Korean-built Cheongung-II medium-range surface-to-air missile system, in a move that signals Baghdad’s growing resolve to close longstanding gaps in its layered air defence coverage amid rising regional threats.
The Cheongung-II, also designated as the KM-SAM Block II, is widely regarded as one of Asia’s most advanced medium-range air defence solutions, combining cutting-edge radar technology with high-speed interceptors capable of neutralising enemy aircraft and short-range ballistic missiles.
According to local media outlet Shafaq News, the first shipment of the KM-SAM Block II is expected to reach Iraq within the next few months under a landmark contract inked in September 2024 between Baghdad and South Korean defence prime LIG Nex1.
The multi-billion-dollar deal, estimated at around USD 2.8 billion (approximately RM13.1 billion), will deliver a total of eight fully operational batteries, each configured to provide robust point and area defence for Iraq’s critical infrastructure and urban centres.
This ambitious acquisition reflects Baghdad’s renewed push to modernise its air defence network, which remains a patchwork of Cold War-era Soviet systems, mobile gun-missile platforms and limited short-range interceptors procured from the West over the past two decades.
At the core of the Cheongung-II’s lethality is its multifunction 3D X-band radar equipped with a passive electronically scanned array (PESA), allowing it to detect incoming threats at ranges of up to 100 kilometres while simultaneously tracking up to 40 targets in all weather conditions.
Each KM-SAM Block II battery typically consists of four to six highly mobile launchers, each armed with eight canister-launched interceptors, plus a radar vehicle and a dedicated command-and-control vehicle that ties the system into Iraq’s broader air defence grid.
The interceptors themselves boast a sophisticated guidance suite that combines inertial navigation with mid-course updates via datalink, culminating in active radar homing during the terminal phase to ensure high hit probability even against agile targets flying at low altitudes.
With a blistering top speed exceeding Mach 5, the KM-SAM Block II missiles can engage aerial threats at altitudes up to 20 kilometres and have an effective engagement envelope of about 50 kilometres, giving Iraqi air defenders a new layer of protection against both manned and unmanned incursions.
Notably, Iraq will become only the third operator of the Cheongung-II in the strategically volatile Middle East, joining the United Arab Emirates, which first deployed the system in 2022, and Saudi Arabia, which followed suit with a purchase in 2024.
Military analysts point out that the growing regional uptake of South Korea’s advanced air defence solution underscores Seoul’s rising footprint as a credible exporter in the global defence market, while simultaneously reflecting the Gulf’s concerns over the proliferation of ballistic and cruise missile threats from state and non-state actors.
For Iraq, the system will not stand alone but rather be integrated into a multi-layered defensive shield that already includes 24 Russian Pantsir-S1 gun-missile systems, an estimated 100 American-made Avenger AN/TWQ-1 short-range air defence units, and a limited inventory of Soviet-era Igla-S MANPADS.
The addition of the KM-SAM Block II batteries will significantly close the gap in Iraq’s medium-range interception capability — a gap that has left Iraqi airspace vulnerable to increasingly sophisticated drone and missile attacks launched by both insurgent groups and external actors operating within the region.
Regional security experts say Baghdad’s investment could not be more timely given the shifting balance of power in the Middle East, where precision-strike drones and short-range ballistic missiles have become staple tools in the arsenals of state proxies and militias from Yemen to Syria.
Beyond the hardware, the integration of the Cheongung-II is also expected to drive improvements in Iraqi command-and-control doctrine, radar surveillance coverage, and the country’s ability to network multiple air defence assets into a cohesive kill chain — a capability that has long been a weak link in Iraq’s overall airspace sovereignty.
South Korean industry officials have expressed optimism that the successful export of the Cheongung-II to Baghdad will open doors to deeper bilateral defence cooperation, technology transfers, and possible localised support facilities that could enhance Iraq’s self-reliance in maintaining its new systems.
It also sends a clear signal that South Korea is expanding its reach well beyond its traditional markets in Southeast Asia and the Middle East, positioning itself as a credible alternative to Western and Russian defence solutions at a time when traditional supply chains have been disrupted by global sanctions and shifting geopolitical alignments.
For Baghdad, however, the real test will be whether its new multi-billion-dollar air defence investments can translate into tangible security dividends on the ground.
After years of devastating attacks against military bases, energy infrastructure, and urban centres by both insurgent factions and regional adversaries, the Iraqi public and political leadership alike will be watching closely to see whether the Cheongung-II can live up to its reputation as a formidable shield against next-generation aerial threats.
Equally significant is whether Iraq’s air force and ground-based air defence crews can absorb the new technology, train to proficiency under South Korean mentorship, and integrate the system seamlessly with existing Soviet and American legacy platforms — a complex balancing act for any modernising military.
In an era where the Middle East’s skies are increasingly contested by state-of-the-art loitering munitions, stand-off missiles, and high-end unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs), the arrival of the Cheongung-II represents a rare bright spot for Iraq’s efforts to claw back some measure of airspace control.
As the first batteries prepare for delivery, Baghdad’s defence planners will be under no illusions that this is just one piece of a much larger puzzle to secure Iraqi skies against threats that evolve faster than traditional procurement cycles.
For South Korea, each successful deployment of the KM-SAM Block II in the Gulf further cements its standing as a rising player in the competitive global missile defence market — a space long dominated by American and European juggernauts, but now increasingly open to agile and cost-competitive suppliers from Asia.
Whether the Cheongung-II can deliver on the battlefield will be a story worth following — not just for Iraq, but for a region where the next major aerial conflict may be decided by who holds the most resilient and adaptive air defence shield.