Philippines looks to acquire South Korean anti-ship ballistic missile
Manila seeks to buy CTM-ASBM, which was unveiled by Hanwha at the Asian Defence and Security exhibition last year
The Philippines is reportedly looking to acquire an anti-ship ballistic missile developed by South Korean defence giant Hanwha Aerospace.
Analysts said such a move would indicate Seoul’s lean towards Washington’s Indo-Pacific policies and possible rising profile in regional defence cooperation with fellow US allies.
According to a report on Monday by the Paris-based Naval News website, Hanwha said it could sell its forthcoming CTM anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) which could meet “growing demand from customers seeking anti-ship capability". The Philippines was cited as one country potentially looking to buy the system.
“Its probable customers will be countries with extensive coastlines, such as those in Europe or island nations like the Philippines,” Naval News quoted a Hanwha representative as saying.
However, a Hanwha spokesman told the South China Morning Post the company had yet to make any official offer to sell the CTM-ASBM to Manila. By Friday, the Naval News report had been removed.
The CTM-ASBM – CTM stands for Chunmoo Tactical Missile – will be paired with Hanwha’s K239 Chunmoo mobile multiple rocket launcher system. The launcher is designed for various types of munitions, from short-range ballistic missiles to medium-range rockets.