On Saturday, 11 October 2025, the newspaper NewsPim reported that in October the Armed Forces of South Korea began analyzing the possibility of acquiring air-launched ballistic missiles (ALBMs) that would serve as a response to North Korea’s nuclear weapons systems and new types of armament. According to sources in the South Korean defense industry, Seoul has decided to purchase the Israeli Air LORA and Rampage missiles, manufactured by the Israeli defense industry, and a deal is expected soon.
Images: Israel Aerospace Industries
In 2024 the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff approached the Israeli side with an inquiry about the possibility of selling these missiles for use in precision strikes against North Korean missile bases and nuclear facilities. According to available information, Israel opted for a direct-sale transaction, foregoing the option of a licensed local production. The Israeli government recently approved an export license, and deliveries of the air-launched ballistic missiles, if a deal is concluded quickly, could take place in 2027–2030.
The Air LORA missile was unveiled at ILA Berlin 2024 and is a development of the land-based tactical ballistic missile LORA (LOng Range Artillery) with a declared range of 430 km (first used in combat by Azerbaijan against Armenia in 2020). Air LORA is intended to carry two types of warheads interchangeably:high-explosive fragmentation, and penetration. The missile is guided by GNSS/INS navigation and a TV-camera sensor in the terminal phase.
The Rampage missile, meanwhile, is the air-launched version of the 306-mm EXTRA ballistic missile, with a baseline range of 150 km extended to 250 km and a 150-kg warhead. It can reach speeds of up to Mach 1.6 and achieves strike accuracy on the order of 10 m.
Israel’s Air Force has successfully used air-launched ballistic missiles in recent operations against Iran (Operation Rising Lion), making this technology particularly attractive to South Korea, which plans in the future to target North Korean bunkers and missile bases.
Because Israel has integrated both missile types with U.S.-made aircraft, South Korea is not expected to face major problems integrating them with its F-15K Slam Eagle and KF-16 fleets. Seoul has also shown interest in integrating these systems with the new KF-21 Boramae and in potential technical cooperation with the Israeli defense industry.
