Thailand Deploys South Korean-Made Guided Bombs in First Combat Use Against Cambodia
KGGB precision-guided munitions used by Thai F-16s mark inaugural operational deployment of Korean military technology abroad
- Thailand's Royal Thai Air Force reportedly used South Korean-made Korean GPS Guided Bombs (KGGB) against Cambodian military positions during recent border clashes.
- The precision-guided munitions were deployed from Thai F-16 fighter jets to strike Cambodian rocket installations amid an escalating territorial dispute.
- This incident marks the first operational combat deployment of South Korean aircraft-launched weaponry by a foreign military.
- The KGGB is a long-range, GPS-guided glide bomb system adapted from conventional bombs; South Korea exported 20 units to Thailand in 2022.
Thailand has reportedly used South Korean-manufactured guided bombs in air strikes against Cambodian rocket positions during recent border clashes, marking the first operational deployment of Korean military hardware in foreign combat operations.
According to South Korea's Yonhap News Agency, citing reports from US aviation publication The Aviationist, the Royal Thai Air Force fitted Korean GPS Guided Bombs (KGGB) to F-16 fighter jets before conducting air strikes against Cambodia amid escalating territorial disputes.
Photographs published by The Aviationist show the KGGB precision-guided munition, unveiled in 2022, mounted on the left wing of a Thai Air Force F-16A fighter aircraft.
The KGGB, also known as the Korean GPS Guided Bomb or simply "GGB", is a glide bomb system with precision guidance capabilities.
The weapon can strike targets at long range and features "fire-and-forget" technology, meaning it requires no further guidance from the launching platform once deployed and can navigate to its target autonomously.
Developed by South Korea's Agency for Defence Development (ADD) and LIG Nex1, the KGGB is an air-to-surface precision-guided weapon system adapted from conventional MK-82 bombs fitted with a GPS guidance kit.
The system includes GPS guidance equipment and glide wings, with a maximum range of approximately 110 kilometres. Each kit costs around 100 million won (around 2.34 million baht).
Once released from a fighter aircraft, the weapon glides towards pre-programmed targets and can change course mid-flight or perform evasive manoeuvres depending on the tactical situation.
This capability allows for precise strikes against concealed targets such as mountain positions, tunnels, and bunkers from long range or indirect approaches.
The Yonhap report states that Thailand and Cambodia recently engaged in heavy fighting along their shared border, employing heavy weapons including multiple rocket launchers.
Following initial ground clashes, the Thai military deployed six F-16 fighter jets to strike two Cambodian military installations. The air strikes reportedly involved the South Korean-manufactured KGGB guided bombs.
The Royal Thai Air Force has not disclosed specific details regarding weapons used in the F-16 strikes. However, if confirmed, this would represent the first overseas combat deployment of South Korean aircraft-launched weaponry.
The South Korean Air Force acquired KGGB guided bombs in 2013 and currently operates at least 1,200 units. In 2018, South Korea exported 150 units to Saudi Arabia, followed by 20 units to Thailand in 2022.
