Israel's ELTA Systems, a subsidiary of state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries, has won an order worth around 300 million dollars to sell two advanced radar systems to South Korea.
Informed sources said that under the deal South Korea would adopt the two Green Pine Block C radar to boost its capabilities to "detect and track ballistic missiles from a long distance at an early stage."
In 2009, Seoul purchased its first pair of Green Pine radar arrays for 280 million dollars.
The new model of the Green Pine radar system is believed to have an improved operational range and be able to track multiple projectiles in the air simultaneously. It is an improvement over South Korea’s current systems, which are said to have a range of approximately 800 kilometers.
Analysts in Seoul said the new systems could act as a deterrent against North Korea, although under South Korean President Moon Jae-in, the country has pursued a policy of engagement with Pyongyang.
In September, Moon and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un agreed on a broad plan to ease tensions along the border during their third summit in Pyongyang.
