LIG D&A teams up with U.S. Firehawk, accelerating Poniard localization

[Financial News] LIG Defense & Aerospace (LIG D&A) is teaming up with U.S. defense startup Firehawk to accelerate the 2.75-inch guided rocket Poniard’s entry into the U.S. market.
LIG D&A said on the 14th that it had signed a cooperation agreement (TA) with Firehawk to develop Poniard’s propulsion system at the U.S. Army defense exhibition AUSA 2026, held in Washington, D.C., on the 13th (local time).
Under the agreement, the two companies will work together to develop Poniard’s propulsion system and plan to explore follow-on mass production and further cooperation after development is complete. They will also pursue joint marketing in the United States and promotional activities targeting the U.S. government.
Firehawk is a U.S. defense startup founded with the aim of developing rocket propulsion systems using advanced 3D-printing technology. It is growing rapidly, driven by technological innovation in rocket propulsion.
Poniard is a 2.75-inch guided rocket that demonstrated its performance by passing the Foreign Comparative Testing (FCT) program at the 2024 Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise, the world’s largest U.S.-led multinational maritime exercise. LIG D&A plans to use the agreement to strengthen the foundation for localizing Poniard in the United States and entering the market.
Baek Hyeong-sik, head of LIG D&A’s overseas business division, said, “It is meaningful that we are once again developing Poniard with a U.S. company, after South Korea and the United States joined forces in the past to pursue its development.” He added, “Drawing on the accumulated experience and know-how of LIG D&A, which marks 50 years since its founding under the banner of self-reliant national defense, we will work to ensure that cooperation between the two companies achieves good results.”
[email protected] Jeong Won-il Reporter