Hanwha Systems' Cheongwang laser air defense system demonstrated operational capabilities during the "Army TIGER+ Future Warfare Integrated Combat Exercise" conducted by South Korea's Army Headquarters. The system neutralized three target drones deployed in the field using a 30 kW class vehicle-mounted high-energy laser weapon, achieving a perfect success rate. Approximately 500 participants attended the event, including the South Korean Army Commander, military officials, academics, and industry representatives.

Cheongwang, meaning "Light of the Sky" in Korean, was developed through collaboration between Hanwha Systems and the Defense Development Agency (ADD). The system has an estimated cost of approximately $1.50 per shot and offers the advantage of operating without ammunition resupply as long as electrical power is available. This characteristic represents a significant distinction compared to conventional missile-based air defense systems in terms of operational flexibility and cost efficiency.

Low-cost small unmanned aerial vehicles and drones have recently become a new threat element on the battlefield, being used not only for reconnaissance and surveillance but also for direct attack purposes. In response to this development, laser weapons are emerging as alternative solutions to conventional missile-based systems. Particularly, the potential to rapidly respond to swarm drone threats and the advantage of low cost per shot have positioned this technology as an important component of next-generation air defense systems.

The success of the Cheongwang system was further validated at the 2026 Defense Drone Technology Fair held on September 16, 2026. During live fire demonstrations at the fair, the system successively neutralized four drones and two unmanned aerial vehicles, achieving a 100 percent success rate. These results demonstrate the system's operational reliability and technical maturity.

Hanwha Systems introduced its 50 kW Laser Armored Vehicle solution, developed with its own resources for export markets, at the MSPO 2026 fair held in Kielce, Poland. Joohun Shin, Head of Hanwha Systems' Laser Systems Business Division, stated that laser weapons will create a fundamental transformation in air defense, emphasizing their goal to establish the Cheongwang and the highly mobile 50 kW Laser Armored Vehicle solution as leading export products of South Korea's defense industry (K-Defense).