“Haegung launch scene / Photo credit = LIG D&A”
'Haegung' naval air-defense missile records first export; LIG D&A pushes into Southeast Asian skies
- Signed a contract with Malaysia's Ministry of Defense worth about 140 billion KRW (about $94 million)
LIG Defense & Aerospace (LIG D&A) has signed an export contract with Malaysia, marking the first overseas sale of Haegung — a domestically developed shipboard air-defense missile.
LIG D&A and the Malaysian Ministry of Defense held a signing ceremony at the DSA 2026 defense expo in Kuala Lumpur on April 22 (local time), the company said.
The contract is valued at 140 billion KRW (about $94 million).
“Live-fire test of the Haegung naval air-defense missile — first since service entry / Video credit = You Yong-won TV”
Developed domestically beginning in 2011 under the lead of the Agency for Defense Development with participation from LIG D&A, Haegung is a defensive guided missile designed to counter threats to ships, including incoming anti-ship missiles and hostile aircraft.
It features a dual seeker that pairs a radio-frequency (RF) radar sensor with an imaging infrared (IIR) seeker, providing precise guidance performance.
The missiles are slated for installation on Malaysian Navy coastal patrol vessels being built by Turkish defense firm STM. LIG D&A said the deal — made in cooperation with an overseas platform builder — opens a new export model for the company.
“Haegung launch scene / Photo credit = LIG D&A”
LIG D&A said it \"built its global reputation as a premier guided-weapons firm through Cheongung-II exports to the Middle East,\" and that the Haegung sale \"further strengthens our position.\" The company added it will continue to introduce advanced technologies — including layered, integrated air-defense solutions — across Southeast Asia and other markets to grow exports.
LIG D&A also said it plans to accelerate efforts to establish a global \"K-Air Defense Belt,\" building on export momentum from its short-range naval air-defense missile Haegung and its medium-range surface-to-air system Cheongung-II.
By Seokmo Byun / sakmo@chosun.com
