South Korea to deploy new radar to detect North Korea drones

July 14 (UPI) -- South Korea has developed radar that can detect small drones, according to Seoul's Defense Acquisition Program Administration.

The radar capable of tracking unmanned aerial vehicles from North Korea would be used for local air defense, and will enter mass production for deployment in 2018, South Korean news service Newsis reported.

The local air defense radar has been successfully developed using domestic technology, DAPA said Friday.

The radars are to be installed with military and marine units in the northwestern islands of South Korea, facing the North Korea border.

The radar is a multifunction three-dimensional tracking device, or an active phased array radar, with superior detection range than conventional detection systems, according to Seoul.

The radar, when mounted on a vehicle, does not need a separate power supply unit. Rapid deployment and withdrawal are possible, DAPA said.

"It has become feasible to respond effectively to North Korean drones," the South Korean agency said. "With the development of local air defense radar and the [Command Control and Alert] C2A system, we are able to more effectively carry out missions."

South Korea was placed on alert in June after a drone identified as North Korean crashed after taking photographs of key facilities in the South, including the U.S. THAAD site, Seoul said.

South Korea's defense ministry said the crashed drone was built using products manufactured in six countries.

The GPS on the drone was of U.S. origin, and the motor was of South Korean make, the military said.