The Diplomat – The U.S. State Department has cleared a possible sale of 94 Standard Missile-2 (SM-2) Block IIIB surface-to-air missile (SAM) interceptors for an estimated cost of $ 314 million to South Korea, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a May 17 statement.
In addition to the SM-2 Block IIIB interceptors, the sale includes missile canisters, technical assistance, engineering and logistical support services, as well as logistics and program support.
The bilateral weapons sale is still subject to congressional approval and the quantity and price of South Korea’s new batch of SM-2 Block IIIB SAMs may change before the signing of a final sales agreement.
South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced the procurement of the new missiles in December 2018.
“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by meeting the legitimate security and defense needs of one of the closest allies in the INDOPACOM Theater,” the DSCA statement notes.
