LIG Defense & Aerospace (LIG D&A) is accelerating its push into the U.S. market through cooperation with U.S. defense startup Firehawk Aerospace.

LIG D&A announced that on the 13th (local time), at the AUSA Annual Meeting & Exposition defense exhibition organized by the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) and held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., it signed a Teaming Agreement (TA) with Firehawk for the development of a propulsion system for the 2.75-inch guided rocket “Poniard.”

A TA is a type of binding contract concluded for joint participation in a specific project and can be understood as a stronger form of agreement than a memorandum of understanding (MOU). It is similar to a strategic alliance, but with a somewhat narrower scope and a more short-term nature.

Under this TA, LIG D&A and Firehawk agreed to cooperate on propulsion system development, joint marketing activities in the United States, and promotional efforts targeting the U.S. government. Upon completion of propulsion system development, the two companies will seek additional cooperation opportunities related to follow-on mass production.

The AUSA exhibition, at which the TA signing ceremony took place, is the world’s largest ground forces defense industry exhibition, organized by the Association of the United States Army. Around 750 defense companies from around the world participate to showcase advanced products and the latest technologies. AUSA is a non-profit organization that supports and represents the U.S. Army, with military personnel, veterans, and defense companies as its main members. In particular, the AUSA exhibition is not simply an event for displaying and selling weapons; it serves as a strategic symposium where senior military officials from around the world gather to discuss future military strategies, defense policies, and defense investment directions. LIG D&A has been participating in the AUSA exhibition since 2018 (then as LIG Nex1). The 2.75-inch guided rocket Poniard is a precision-guided weapon system for coastal artillery and high-speed infiltration craft interdiction, jointly developed in 2015 by LIG D&A and the Agency for Defense Development (ADD). It was deployed to the Republic of Korea armed forces (2016–2017) and is operated by the Marine Corps for coastal artillery defense, with its technology having been verified. It is also reported that development is underway to expand it into a shipborne system tailored to the requirements of the U.S. Navy. Poniard has already proven its capabilities at RIMPAC 2024, the world’s largest naval exercise.

This TA is being pursued as part of localization efforts to enter the U.S. defense procurement market. Although Poniard has entered operational service with the Korean military and demonstrated its performance, producing the finished system domestically and supplying it to the United States is very difficult under U.S. law and supply chain structures. According to industry sources, supplying weapons to the U.S. government or military requires compliance with Buy America provisions and the Berry Amendment, which mandate a certain level of U.S. domestic production. For guided weapon systems like Poniard, it is understood that key components such as the rocket propulsion system must be developed with a U.S. local partner and a production line established within the United States to be considered for U.S. military procurement.

Firehawk is a defense startup established in the United States with the goal of revolutionizing rocket propulsion through the adoption of advanced 3D printing technology. Firehawk’s 3D printing technology is also expected to be applied to the development of the U.S.-type Poniard propulsion system, reducing overall production time and costs. Based on this TA, LIG D&A plans to accelerate its entry into the U.S. market.

Baek Hyoung-sik, Head of Overseas Business Division at LIG D&A, said, “It is significant that Poniard, which was originally developed through joint efforts by South Korea and the United States, is now being developed again in partnership with a U.S. company,” adding, “LIG D&A, which marks its 50th anniversary since its founding under the banner of self-reliant national defense, will do its utmost to ensure that the cooperation between the two companies delivers strong results, based on its accumulated experience and know-how.”

Will Edwards, CEO (Co-founder) of Firehawk, stated, “The cooperation between the two companies links Firehawk’s core tasks of expanding munitions production capacity and advancing solid rocket motor production,” and added, “Through this, we expect to be able to offer more economical options in the aerospace and missile defense sectors to the United States and its allies.” CEO Will Edwards is one of the three co-founders and oversees Firehawk’s business operations and early-stage fundraising.

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