UAE airlifts Cheongung-II batteries from Korea amid Strait of Hormuz blockade

The United Arab Emirates has deployed air force transport aircraft to expedite delivery of South Korea's Cheongung-II (M-SAM2) medium-range air defense system as military tensions in the Middle East continue to escalate.

Military and defense industry sources said the UAE began sending multiple C-17 heavy transport aircraft to Daegu Air Base earlier this week to load and ferry Cheongung-II batteries and interceptor missiles back to the Gulf state.

One C-17 was spotted parked on the runway at Daegu Air Base on Friday. A total of eight UAE transport aircraft are expected to take part in the airlift.

The Cheongung-II battery had originally been scheduled for delivery by sea, but that route was cut off after the Strait of Hormuz was in effect sealed following Iran's clash with opposing forces. In response, the UAE switched to airlift and dispatched its own military transport aircraft to urgently reinforce its air defenses.

A single Cheongung-II battery consists of four launcher vehicles each carrying eight launch tubes, a multifunction radar and a fire control station.

The shipment is the third battery under the contract and is being delivered roughly six months ahead of schedule. Dozens of interceptor missiles are being transported alongside the battery.

UAE transport aircraft were last confirmed at Daegu Air Base about three months ago, in March. On that occasion, C-17s of the same type carried Cheongung-II guided missiles.

The UAE signed a contract in 2022 with LIG Nex1, Hanwha Systems and Hanwha Aerospace to acquire 10 Cheongung-II batteries. Two batteries have been operationally deployed to date.

When Iran launched missiles toward neighboring countries following attacks by the United States and Israel, the Cheongung-II batteries deployed in the UAE were activated alongside the American-made Patriot (PAC) and Israeli-made Arrow systems to conduct interception operations. The two batteries in active service fired at least 60 interceptor missiles and recorded an interception success rate of approximately 96 percent.