LIG D&A, Firehawk to co-develop Poniard rocket system

LIG Defense & Aerospace and U.S. defense technology company Firehawk signed a teaming agreement Tuesday (local time) in Washington, D.C., to co-develop a propulsion system for the 2.75-inch Poniard guided rocket. The partnership may expand into mass production, technical cooperation and joint marketing to the U.S. government. It is intended to localize Poniard production and strengthen LIG D&A’s position in the U.S. defense market.

The Poniard guided rocket is known as Bigung in Korean and measures 2.75 inches.

Firehawk’s thermoplastic manufacturing platform applies to propellant, rocket motors and complete munitions.

Poniard passed the U.S. military’s Foreign Comparative Testing program during the Rim of the Pacific exercise in 2024.

LIG D&A executive senior vice president Paik Hyung-shik said the collaboration continues a system originally built through joint U.S.-South Korea efforts.

Firehawk co-founder and CEO Will Edwards said the partnership supports munitions capacity and solid-rocket-motor production for more affordable air and missile defense solutions.

Published Oct 14, 2026 3:29 pm KST

Partnership targets Poniard localization, potential mass production in US market

Paik Hyung-shik, right, executive senior vice president at LIG D&A, shakes hands with Bradley Schneider, chief financial officer (CFO) of Firehawk, after signing a teaming agreement in Washington, D.C, Tuesday (local time). Courtesy of LIG D&A

LIG Defense & Aerospace (LIG D&A) has partnered with U.S. defense technology company Firehawk to develop a propulsion system for its Poniard guided rocket, as the Korean defense company seeks to expand its presence in the U.S. market.

The two companies signed a teaming agreement Tuesday (local time) in Washington, D.C., to jointly develop propulsion technology for the 2.75-inch guided rocket system, known as "Bigung" in Korean.

Under the agreement, the companies will work together on propulsion system development, with plans to expand the partnership into mass production, further technical cooperation and joint marketing targeting the U.S. government.

Firehawk specializes in advanced energetics and propulsion technologies. The company has developed a thermoplastic manufacturing platform designed to overcome material and production limitations associated with conventional rocket propulsion manufacturing. Its technology can be applied across the production process, from propellant and rocket motors to complete munitions.

The partnership is expected to support LIG D&A's efforts to localize Poniard production and strengthen its foothold in the U.S. defense market. The guided rocket system demonstrated its operational capabilities by passing the U.S. military's Foreign Comparative Testing program during the Rim of the Pacific exercise in 2024.

The 2.75-inch guided rocket system, known as "Bigung" in Korean / Courtesy of LIG D&A

“It is deeply meaningful to co-develop the Poniard rocket once again with an American partner, continuing a system originally built on joint U.S.-South Korea efforts,” said Paik Hyung-shik, executive senior vice president at LIG D&A.

“Leveraging LIG D&A’s 50-year legacy in self-reliant defense capabilities, we will ensure this collaboration yields strong results.”

Firehawk said the partnership would bring together its efforts to expand munitions production capacity and advance solid rocket motor manufacturing, helping meet demand for more affordable air and missile defense solutions.

“Our work with LIG D&A ties two essential Firehawk efforts together: expanding munitions capacity and advancing solid-rocket-motor production. That’s how we give the U.S. and its allies more affordable options across air and missile defense,” Firehawk co-founder and CEO Will Edwards said.

“Our duty is to make sure the arsenal has the depth and resilience the mission requires. We’re excited to move the capability forward and deliver it to the warfighter.”

LIG防务与航空航天公司和美国国防技术公司Firehawk周二（当地时间）在华盛顿特区签署了一项合作协议，共同开发2.75英寸“波尼亚德”（Poniard）制导火箭的推进系统。该合作未来可能扩展到批量生产、技术合作以及联合向美国政府销售。其目的是实现“波尼亚德”火箭的本地化生产，并巩固LIG防务与航空航天公司在美国国防市场的地位。

Poniard制导火箭在韩语中被称为Bigung，直径为2.75英寸。

Firehawk 的热塑性制造平台适用于推进剂、火箭发动机和完整弹药。

Poniard 在 2024 年环太平洋军事演习期间通过了美国军方的外国对比测试计划。

LIG D&A 执行高级副总裁白亨植表示，此次合作延续了最初由美韩共同努力建立的体系。

Firehawk 联合创始人兼首席执行官威尔·爱德华兹表示，此次合作将支持弹药产能和固体火箭发动机生产，从而提供更经济实惠的防空和导弹防御解决方案。

发布于2026年10月14日下午3:29（韩国标准时间）

此次合作旨在实现宝路亚的本地化，并有可能在美国市场进行大规模生产。

周二（当地时间），在华盛顿特区，LIG D&A执行高级副总裁白亨植（右）与Firehawk首席财务官布拉德利·施耐德签署合作协议后握手。图片由LIG D&A提供。

韩国国防公司 LIG D&A 与美国国防技术公司 Firehawk 合作，为其 Poniard 制导火箭开发推进系统，以期扩大其在美国市场的份额。

周二（当地时间），两家公司在华盛顿特区签署了一项合作协议，共同开发 2.75 英寸制导火箭系统的推进技术，该系统在韩国被称为“Bigung”。

根据协议，两家公司将共同开发推进系统，并计划将合作关系扩展到大规模生产、进一步的技术合作以及针对美国政府的联合营销。

Firehawk公司专注于先进的能源和推进技术。该公司开发了一种热塑性塑料制造平台，旨在克服传统火箭推进系统制造中存在的材料和生产限制。其技术可应用于从推进剂和火箭发动机到完整弹药的整个生产流程。

此次合作预计将支持LIG D&A公司实现“波尼亚尔”导弹本土化生产，并巩固其在美国国防市场的地位。该制导火箭系统在2024年环太平洋军事演习期间通过了美国军方的“外国对比测试”项目，展现了其作战能力。

2.75英寸制导火箭系统，韩语称作“Bigung” / 图片由LIG D&A提供

LIG D&A 执行高级副总裁白亨植表示：“能够再次与美国合作伙伴共同开发 Poniard 火箭，延续最初由美韩共同努力建立的系统，意义深远。”

“凭借 LIG D&A 在自主国防能力方面 50 年的经验积累，我们将确保此次合作取得显著成果。”

Firehawk公司表示，此次合作将整合双方在扩大弹药生产能力和推进固体火箭发动机制造方面的努力，以帮助满足对更经济实惠的防空和导弹防御解决方案的需求。

“我们与LIG D&A的合作将Firehawk的两项重要工作结合起来：扩大弹药产能和推进固体火箭发动机生产。这样，我们就能为美国及其盟友提供更经济实惠的防空和导弹防御方案，”Firehawk联合创始人兼首席执行官威尔·爱德华兹表示。

“我们的职责是确保武器库具备完成任务所需的深度和韧性。我们很高兴能够推进这项能力的提升，并将其交付给作战人员。”