6-for-6 Hits: How a South Korean Rocket Surprised the U.S. Navy

Translation result.During a July 2024 Foreign Comparative Testing (FCT) live-fire off Hawaii, U.S. Navy observers watched all six of LIG D&A’s 2.75-inch (about 70 mm) guided rockets, the Poniard, strike their targets — a result that surprised U.S. Navy officials. The Department of Defense’s FCT program evaluates allied defense firms’ promising systems for possible integration into U.S. acquisition and development efforts.The shots were fired during the Rim of the Pacific exercise (RIMPAC), a multinational maritime drill led by U.S. 3rd Fleet. Korean and U.S. planners executed a scenario built around unmanned operations: unmanned target detection, unmanned aerial systems, satellite communications and rocket launches from an unmanned surface vessel. Officials said it was the first full end-to-end application of that unmanned concept across both countries.Passing the DoD’s final FCT evaluation has boosted the Poniard’s export prospects. On April 8, LIG D&A established a U.S. subsidiary, LIG Defense U.S. Inc., to create a foothold in the American market. The company plans to use the entity to secure sales channels, production facilities and a stronger U.S. supply chain.LIG D&A — already known for the medium-range surface-to-air interceptor Cheongung‑II — is reportedly in late-stage talks with the U.S. Navy on price and quantities. The company has pursued U.S. sales for eight years. While this year’s Navy budget omitted funds to buy the Poniard, industry analysts expect procurement could appear in next year’s plans.Naval trade outlet Naval News reported that LIG D&A is pursuing integration of the Poniard with the MH-60R Seahawk, the Navy’s primary anti-submarine and surface warfare helicopter. The report said LIG D&A is in talks with PMA-299 under NAVAIR, the office that manages the H‑60 family and has shown strong interest in the Poniard. South Korea signed an FMS deal with the U.S. in December 2020 to acquire 12 MH-60Rs; two entered service on April 1. With auxiliary tanks, the MH-60R can fly more than four hours.LIG D&A recorded a perfect hit rate in FCT events from 2019 through 2024 and again demonstrated in July 2024 that all six rockets hit their targets. Then–Chief of Naval Operations Lisa Franchetti said joint preparation and training on next‑generation weapons between the United States and Korea “carries very important implications.”The Poniard appeals to the Navy as a low-cost, effective weapon for countering unmanned aerial systems and small surface threats. The system also maps to requirements identified during counter-narcotics operations in the Caribbean, where unmanned aircraft and high-speed smuggling boats have presented persistent challenges.Fielded by the Republic of Korea Marine Corps in 2016, the Poniard was originally developed as a vehicle-mounted rocket to engage hovercraft and other small craft. It measures 1.9 meters, weighs 15 kilograms and has a 5–8 kilometer range. An infrared imaging seeker enables day-and-night operations. From detection to launch takes roughly 10–20 seconds; the rocket’s fire-and-forget seeker allows it to engage multiple targets independently after launch.Price is the system’s biggest advantage. At mass-production rates, one round costs about 40 million KRW (about 30,000 USD) — roughly one-third the price of the U.S. military’s primary missile, Lockheed Martin’s Hellfire. Existing export sales bolster the Poniard’s credibility: Saudi Arabia equipped new FPB‑2200 fast patrol boats with Poniard launchers in October 2022, and the United Arab Emirates installed 12-tube Poniard launchers on its naval vessels.Given U.S. forces’ need to counter Houthi and Iranian unmanned surface and fast-attack threats in the Red Sea and surrounding waters, analysts say the Poniard is a likely candidate for U.S. selection. An industry source told reporters that while the Poniard was developed as an anti-ship weapon, its greatest strength is versatility: it can be used in land-to-ship, ship-to-ship, air-to-ship and air-to-ground roles.Industry expectations point to a possible LIG D&A–U.S. Navy contract around next year. LIG D&A is reportedly considering a U.S. production plant to meet American requirements. Potential sites under discussion include Alabama, where the U.S. missile industry has clustered, and Florida, home to major Navy facilities. If a local factory is built, the company expects it could produce tens of thousands of Poniards annually.