LIG Nex1 will participate in the International Maritime Defense Industry Exhibition 2021 to showcase its advanced close-in weapons system, or CIWS, specialized to the South Korean Navy.

Currently, the Navy is using a Dutch CIWS called Goalkeeper, which automatically shoots thousands of bullets per minute to offer short-range defense for ships against fast-moving missiles, aircraft and surface vessels.

Through its CIWS-II program, the Navy aims to develop a more advanced CIWS that has the same barrel and ammunition carriage system as Goalkeeper.

At MADEX 2021, which will be held from Wednesday to Saturday at Bexco in Busan, LIG Nex1 will introduce a Korean-made Goalkeeper. If selected for the Navy’s CIWS-II program, LIG Nex1 will supply its Goalkeeper to the Navy’s future vessels including light aircraft carrier, next-generation KDDX destroyers and FFX-III frigates.

Last September, LIG Nex1 completed a depot maintenance and acceptance test of its Goalkeeper. It is also the first Korean company to have secured a fire control system dedicated to CIWS-II.

“LIG Nex1 has the technological expertise on ship-to-ship guided weapons, which will be targets of CIWS-II. Also, LIG Nex1 has the expertise on rolling airframe missiles and anti-ship guided missiles ‘Haegung,’ so we are confident of a successful development,” a company official said.

By Kim Byung-wook (kbw@heraldcorp.com)