Translated with AI
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar are urgently requesting air defense systems from South Korea, The Wall Street Journal reports.
According to the publication, the reason for this move was the depletion of American-made anti-aircraft missiles. In recent weeks, the Persian Gulf countries have been forced to actively use air defense systems to repel attacks, including Iranian missile and drone strikes.
It is noted that existing stockpiles of anti-aircraft missile systems have been significantly reduced. A limited number of systems capable of effectively intercepting unmanned aerial vehicles remain. It is also emphasized that Iran is using inexpensive, mass-produced drones, which increases the burden on air defense systems.
The sharp increase in the need for air defense systems also revealed the limitations associated with the high dependence of countries in the region on weapons supplied by the United States.
Against this backdrop, Gulf states are seeking to diversify their supply sources by turning to other producers who can offer faster and more cost-effective solutions.
In particular, the South Korean Chongun-II medium-range anti-aircraft missile system has attracted the attention of countries, which is being considered as one of the possible options for strengthening defense capability.
