South Korea is planning to mass produce the local TPS-880 multifunctional radars which can detect North Korean small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced on Friday in a written statement.

The new TPS-880 multifunctional radar can provide the necessary protective cover for air bases, forces, key installations, and other vital assets from an attack of enemy aircraft or drones.

The South Korea’s next-generation air defense radar, developed by LIG Nex1, is able to detect the altitude of flight vehicles to boost the capability to respond to North Korea’s low-altitude aerial attack and penetration threats, which is a significant improvement compared with the existing radar detecting only the distance and direction of aircraft.

The TPS-880 radar performs the high- and low-altitude surveillance and detects small unmanned aerial vehicles or combat aircraft. The radar is designed for both fixed site operation under a radome, and for rapid deployment in the field on a high-mobility cross-country chassis.