During Sea Air Space 2026, LIG Defense & Aerospace (formerly known as LIG Nex1) showcased a variety of guided rockets targeted towards potential U.S. Navy usage, including their 70mm, 130mm, and 140mm guided rockets to be utilized on multiple platforms.
LIG’s Poniard 70mm guided rockets headlined the roster of rockets eyed by the U.S. Navy. Poniard’s prominence in the lineup of cheap effectors is due to the prior testing conducted with the U.S. Navy, with Foreign Comparitive Testing (FCT) carried out from 2019 until 2024. Throughout this testing, Poniard achieved a 100% accuracy against fast attack craft, becoming the first foreign munition in it’s class to be certified for U.S. use, whilst also being the first fire-and-forget guided rocket via means of an infrared seeker.
Recently, LIG has sought to expand usage of Poniard throughout the U.S. Navy beyond it’s original use as a counter fast inshore attack craft (FIAC) munition utilized by USVs. Primarily, integration onto MH-60R helicopters is of extreme interest for a counter unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and munitions targeting craft usage given the greatly expanded need for low-cost options caused by the War in Iran and the targeting of South American drug smuggling vessels. Poniard can be slotted into the same 2.75 inch rocket pods aboard helicopters, as well as being launched off of trucks, USVs, and potentially larger surface vessels.
“We’re working with and we’re looking to get on contract with PMA-299 at NAVAIR and they are interested in using Poniard for counter UAS.”
– William Cho, Business Development LIG Defense U.S. Inc.
DARPA’s pulling guard program is also another area of potential area of interest, with LIG increasingly gunning to be amongst the expanding list of contractors associated with auxiliary vessel defense against unmanned threats. Poniard represents an increasingly viable option for this role, with it already being tested on Textron’s CUSV via a proprietary launcher also manufactured by LIG.
Larger Rockets
Complementing Poniard are it’s much larger siblings in the shape of a 130mm and 140mm iterations on the same guided rocket concept. Specifically, the 130mm option was showcased at LIG’s booth during Sea Air Space, fired from a potentially land or ship based launcher, which is shown carrying 12 rockets.
Due to the larger diameter, the 130mm diameter rockets will feature a greater range with the capability for mid-course guidance via datalink until a terminal IR seeker takes over. Potential mountings on guided missile destroyers and frigates are currently being assessed, representing a cheaper dedicated fire and forge anti-surface munition. In Republic of Korea Navy service, these rockets are fitted aboard the PKX-B and are meant to counter swarms of North Korea navy boats and landing craft.
LIG’s 140mm guided rocket hails from a slightly different design lineage from the smaller two offerings, whilst still utilizing similar features in the shape of a terminal IR seeker to enable fire-and-forget capability. The largest rocket of the three is intended to double at an anti-tank weapon derived from LIG’s Raybolt series of ATGM, which has now been converted for CUAS usage. In addition to the terminal IR seeker and a potential datalink, the 140mm guided rocket can use both GPS and Inertial navigation to improve accuracy.
Localized production of LIG’s guided rocket offerings is currently being considered, with the firm open to options geared towards establish production within the U.S. to serve the needs of the U.S. military. In lieu of a desired expansion, LIG has also opened a subsidiary in the United States, with the branch expanding to give LIG a foothold in the U.S. market, utilizing the ~80 years of defense partnership between the U.S. and the ROK.
