South Korea has conducted a flight test of a new cruise missile designed for FA-50 light fighter jets. The missile, named Celestial Dragon or KALCM, was showcased in a test video released by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration.
According to a report from Ukrainian defense outlet Militarnyi, the Celestial Dragon is intended to boost the strike capabilities of newer aircraft variants such as the FA-50 Block 20 and KF-21, which are produced by Korea Aerospace Industries. It has a reported range exceeding 800 kilometers and reaches speeds of up to Mach 1. The missile also uses a combined guidance system that includes inertial navigation, GPS correction and an artificial intelligence-enhanced infrared seeker for improved target detection.
DAPA said the weapon is expected to be a cost-effective option for enhancing air strike capabilities, with orders already set for the Philippines and Malaysia. Potential export is also possible for Poland, which is set to be one of the largest operators of the FA-50 in Europe, and Egypt, which has recently shown interest in acquiring the aircraft.
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The KALCM, also known as Cheonryong, is reportedly expected to enter service by 2028, with mass production starting in 2029. Korea aims to field at least 200 units by 2031, strengthening its indigenous precision-strike capabilities.
This development reflects a larger trend of increasing defense exports from South Korea. Industry analysts predict that foreign demand for South Korean weapons will rise as global defense spending increases in response to ongoing conflicts. This surge is attributed to the competitive pricing of Korean arms and the delays experienced by some European firms in supplying weapons on time.