MADEX 2023: Poongsan unveils extended-range guided munition

Poongsan's 127 mm naval guided munition has a range of about 100 km. (Janes/Mike Plunkett)

South Korean ammunition firm Poongsan has unveiled a 127 mm gun-launched, extended-range guided munition for naval applications at the MADEX 2023 exhibition in Busan.

Dong Won Lee, Poongsan's director of defence products exports, told Janes that the concept of 127 mm Gliding Guided Naval Munition (GGNM) is centred on the projectile being fired on a steep trajectory to a high altitude, estimated to be in the region of 20 km.

He said that once the munition reaches the highest point in its flight its wings are deployed, allowing the projectile to glide to a range of approximately 100 km.

The inclusion of Global Positioning System (GPS)-assisted guidance enables high accuracy, even at maximum range, Lee said. The navigation system also allows the GGNM to follow a flightpath to avoid obstacles or known defences, although this will have an impact of the achievable overall range, he said.