South Korea's Poniard guided rocket system passes Pentagon's Foreign Comparative Testing

South Korea’s Poniard (known locally as Bigung) multiple launch guided rocket system has passed the US Department of Defense’s (DoD’s) Foreign Comparative Testing: a move that paves the way for the system to enter the US arms procurement market.

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) in Seoul announced on 7 April that the locally developed road-mobile weapon system hit all 10 designated targets and met all US requirements during an FCT session held in South Korea in October 2019 that was attended by US DoD experts.

The 70 mm (2.75 inch) system, which was developed by the Agency for Defense Development and South Korean defence company LIG Nex1 to simultaneously engage multiple fast-moving maritime targets, is currently operated by the Republic of Korea Marine Corps (RoKMC) as a mobile coastal defence system and is expected to replace older South Korean coastal defence systems by 2024.

The Poniard, which has now the become the first such South Korean system to pass the Pentagon’s FCT, has a ‘fire-and-forget’ capability, a stated maximum range of 8 km, and can carry a total of 36 rockets in two separate launchers (18 rockets in each launcher).

As operated by the RoKMC the Poniard is integrated into a 6×6 Kia KM250 military truck that is equipped with the necessary target detection and launch control systems that allow it to operate as a standalone system.