An LIG Nex1 official shows the firm's Poniard rocket system to an attendee aboard the Republic of Korea Navy's Cheonjabong tank landingship in Hawaii, where the Poniard successfully completed the final test of the U.S. Foreign Comparative Testing program, Friday. Courtesy of LIG Nex1

Korean defense firm LIG Nex1's Poniard guided rocket has successfully completed the final performance test under the U.S. Foreign Comparative Testing (FCT) program, significantly enhancing its chances of entering the U.S. market, it said Monday.

The test, conducted in the waters off Hawaii on Friday during the Rim of the Pacific Exercise, was based on a real-world scenario developed by the Korean and U.S. navies.

The 70-millimeter rocket system, known as "Bigung" in Korean, hit all six targets and met all U.S. requirements for the FCT test, according to LIG Nex1.

The FCT program, promoted by the U.S. Department of Defense, evaluates advanced military technologies from U.S. foreign allies with an aim to integrate them into the nation's military development and acquisition projects. Korea's Poniard was designated as a candidate weapon system for the FCT program in 2019.

"In about half a century, we have finally laid the foundation to export guided weapons to the United States, a country that was once barren ground for the defense industry," said LIG Nex1 CEO Shin Ik-hyun, who oversaw the final performance test in Hawaii.

"This was possible thanks to combined efforts of the Korean government, military and related organizations toward bolstering the growth of the local defense industry," he added.

The Poniard's successful FCT completion comes as LIG Nex1 has consistently aimed to enter the U.S. defense market, considered one of the largest and most competitive globally.

While the actual contract with the U.S. is pending stages such as the U.S. Navy's specific requirements, budget allocation and contract verification, should the rocket secure entry into the American market, global demand for LIG Nex1's weapon systems is expected to increase significantly from allied nations worldwide.

The Poniard guided rocket, developed in 2016 under the supervision of the Agency for Defense Development with participation from LIG Nex1, is designed to engage coastal moving targets such as small high-speed boats.

Currently deployed and operated by the ROK Marine Corps, the Poniard is integrated into a ground launch system that includes target detection, launcher, launch control and guided rockets — all within a single vehicle.