LIG Defense partners with Firehawk to develop and mass-produce Poniard rocket propulsion

LIG Defense & Aerospace and American defense-tech company Firehawk have entered a teaming agreement to jointly develop the propulsion system for the 2.75-inch Poniard guided rocket, called "Bigung" in Korean. The partnership, signed in Washington, D.C., includes plans to move from development to mass production, technical cooperation, and coordinated marketing aimed at U.S. government contracts. Firehawk’s expertise lies in advanced energetics and a thermoplastic manufacturing platform that can address traditional rocket-propulsion material constraints across the entire production chain.

LIG D&A seeks to localize Poniard manufacturing and expand its presence in the U.S. defense sector. The rocket demonstrated its capabilities by succeeding in the U.S. military’s Foreign Comparative Testing program during the 2024 Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise. Executives from both firms highlighted the collaboration’s potential to deliver more affordable air and missile-defense solutions to the United States and its allies.