S. Korea develops technology to partly cloak warships, aircraft

By Sam Kim
SEOUL, March 24 (Yonhap) -- The leading South Korean weapons development
institute said Tuesday it has developed the technology to hamper enemy efforts to
fully identify the country's warships and aircraft.
The state-run Agency for Defense Development has developed five different types
of "stealth material" that have begun to be installed on major weapons systems
this year, its chief researcher told reporters.
"The military has endorsed the technology, which satisfies about 70 percent of
stealth requirements," Lee Hyo-jong said at the Ministry of National Defense.
"They have proven quite effective," he said, adding a destroyer could be mistaken
for a fishing boat by an enemy radar if the technology is fully implemented.
The indigenous technology has been under research since 1999, Lee said, adding
over 9 billion own (US$6 million) has been spent on its development.
Lee added the technology is expected to be applied to ground weapons systems, but
did not elaborate. South Korea runs some 65,500 troops with about 120 battleships
and 490 fighter jets.
samkim@yna.co.kr
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