According to forecasts, the South Korean company Hanwha Defense Systems with its most advanced self-propelled anti-aircraft defence system, called the Hybrid BIHO, could outrun Russia at the arms market after Pantsir-S1’s failure in Syria.

Early, during an overnight raid on purported Iranian positions in Syria, Israeli rockets hit a Russian-made Pantsir-S1 surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery system. A few months ago, Russian air defence system could not bring down the cruise missiles and, in addition, the Pantsir has a number of difficulties in combating lightweight drones.

Against the backdrop of problems with the Russian system, a proposal from South Korea interested a large number of potential customers. The Hybrid BIHO consists of a 30mm self-propelled anti-aircraft defense system ‘BIHO’ combined with the portable surface-to-air guided missile system and intercepts low altitude infiltrating enemy aircraft and helicopters. The Hybrid BIHO can carry a total of 4 guided missiles with an effective range of 5km with upgraded potential to 8-10 km.

More: Korea’s Biho might be one of the most effective short-range anti-aircraft systems ever

South Kores’s air defence system features the detection distance of 21km and excellent tracking and aiming capability against enemy aircraft infiltration. The standard version of the Biho is armed with two 30 mm automatic cannons. The cyclic rate of fire for a single gun is 600 rounds per minute.

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Each gun is provided with 300 rounds of ready to use ammunition.  Also, it carries 4 short-range surface-to-air missile systems with effective ranges of 5km (in future 8-10).

The missiles features an integral Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) system, full night and adverse weather capabilities, and a two-color infrared seeker to aid in negating countermeasures.