Low-Cost Guided Imaging Rocket

Poniard Low-Cost Guided Imaging Rocket
비궁 지대함 유도 로켓
A diagram of a Poniard guided rocket
TypeSurface-to-ship rocket
Place of originSouth Korea
Service history
In service2017–present
Used bySee Operators
Production history
DesignerAgency for Defense Development
LIG Nex1
ManufacturerLIG Nex1
Produced2016–present
Specifications
Mass14 kg (31 lb)[1]
Length1.9 m (6.2 ft)[1]
Diameter70 mm (2.75 in)[1]
Maximum firing range8 km (5.0 mi)
PropellantSingle-stage solid propellant
Guidance
system
Fire-and-forget-aided INS and IIR seeker[1]
Accuracy0.54 m CEP

The Low-Cost Guided Imaging Rocket (LOGIR; Korean: 저비용 유도 이미징 로켓), officially known as Poniard (Korean: 비궁; Hanja: 匕弓; RR: Bi-gung) is a surface-to-ship guided rocket developed by Agency for Defense Development (ADD) and LIG Nex1.[2] The LOGIR was a weapons system under development for the US Navy as part of ONR's Low-Cost Imaging Terminal Seeker (LCITS) FNC.[3] It transitioned as the weapon used in the Medusa Joint Capability Technology Demonstration with South Korea.[4]

Poniard successfully passed four Foreign Comparative Testing (FCT) organized by the U.S. Department of Defense from 2019 to 2024 after achieving 100% accuracy.[5]

Development

The program provided a precision guided 2.75 inch (70 mm) rocket for use with existing Hydra 70 systems in service, as such it has many similarities with the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System program. The principal difference between the systems is that while APKWS uses terminal laser homing, requiring the target to be 'painted' until impact, LOGIR would guide to a position supplied by the launching aircraft, using imaging infrared in the terminal phase making it a true fire-and-forget weapon.[3][6] Another advantage of LOGIR was that it was "especially effective against swarm attacks by enemies like small boats, as there’s no need for ongoing guidance."[7]

The South Korean version, designated Poniard (Korean: 비궁; RR: Bi-gung), is used on the ROK Marine Corps mobile coastal defense system.[2] Bigung is a 6×6 truck fitted with 2×18-round containers for 36 rockets to counter North Korean Fast Inshore Attack Craft (FIAC), landing craft and landing vehicles. The rockets are equipped with the LCITS using IIR imaging technology with an additional low-cost inertial correction unit. LOGIR is designed to defeat predominantly small-scale, high-speed surface targets, but because of the limited cost requirements its use for less-contrast ground targets is less effective; it has a weight below 17.5 kg (39 lb) and a length of 1.9 m (6.2 ft) with range greater than 8 km (5.0 mi).[8]

South Korea's contribution in the LOGIR program are the following:[9]

  • Electronics for guidance and control system (production only, design by the USA)
  • Electronics for control actuation system (DSP and PWM inverter board)
  • Assembly parts for control actuation system (CAS frame and integrated BLDC motor)
  • Airframe structure and fins (canard fin, CAS skin, seeker skin)
  • Cruciform tail fins and nozzle assembly
  • Warhead and fuze attachment improvement

U.S. Department of Defense's low-cost rocket procurement program

In October 2019, Poniard successfully passed after 10 rockets hit all targets during a Foreign Comparative Testing (FCT) conducted at the Anheung Proving Ground in South Korea under the observation of the U.S. Department of Defense's evaluation team as part of the U.S. military's low-cost rocket procurement program.[10][11]

The rocket system proved its capability by passing all four tests conducted in South Korea and Key West and San Diego and Hawaii between 2019 and 2024.[5]

Specifications

  • Mass: 14 kg (31 lb)[1]
  • Length: 1.9 m (6.2 ft)[1]
  • Diameter: 70 mm (2.75 in)[1]
  • Maximum range: 8 km (5.0 mi)
  • Guidance: INS midcourse/Imaging infrared terminal.[1]
  • Motor: Existing Hydra 70 motors

Operators

Poniard operators

Current operators

 Saudi Arabia
 South Korea
 United Arab Emirates

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "PONIARD 2.75 inch Guided Rocket" (PDF). LIG Nex1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 February 2024. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  2. ^ a b Gabriel Dominguez (7 April 2020). "South Korea's Poniard guided rocket system passes Pentagon's Foreign Comparative Testing". Janes Information Services. Archived from the original on 11 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  3. ^ a b LOGIR moves a step closer to the fleet
  4. ^ "APKWS II "Hellfire Jr." Hydra Rockets Enter SDD Phase - DID".
  5. ^ a b Eunhyuk Cha (19 July 2024). "South Korean Guided Rocket Test-Fired from USV at RIMPAC 2024". Naval News. Archived from the original on 25 October 2024. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  6. ^ "Guided Hydra Rockets and hellfire missiles: Program Halts & New Entries - Defense Industry Daily".
  7. ^ "APKWS II: Laser-Guided Hydra Rockets in Production At Last".
  8. ^ ROK Marine Corps Showcasing Bigung for the 1st Time - Armyrecognition.com, 18 October 2017
  9. ^ "ROK Contribution for LOGIR".
  10. ^ "PONIARD, 2.75" GUIDED ROCKET" (PDF). Agency for Defense Development. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  11. ^ "LIG넥스원, 세계 최대 림팩훈련 현장에서 K-방산의 위상을 높이다 - 2.75인치 유도로켓 전시". LIG Nex1. 11 July 2022. Archived from the original on 25 October 2024. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  12. ^ a b Yoo Hee-suk (5 April 2023). "사우디, '천무' 이어 '비궁' 실전배치…K방산 수출 확대". Newsis. Archived from the original on 7 April 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Poniard Surface-to-Ship Guided Rocket.