LIG Nex1 to expand presence in Middle East

LIG Nex1 will take part in the International Defense Exhibition and Conference 2017 in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, from Feb. 19 to 23. As part of efforts to secure new supply deals in the Middle East, Korea’s leading defense firm has set up a booth to showcase its surface-to-air missiles, an advanced radar system and other weaponry. / Courtesy of LIG Nex1

By Lee Hyo-sik

LIG Nex1 will participate in the largest defense goods fair in the Middle East next week to showcase its surface-to-air missiles, a radar system and other state-of-the-art military equipment, it said Thursday.

Korea’s leading defense firm has set up a booth at the International Defense Exhibition and Conference (IDEX) 2017 in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, which will kick off Feb. 19 and continue through Feb. 23.

LIG Nex1 has been participating in the fair since 2009 to increase its presence in the lucrative Middle Eastern market. It has expanded its booth this year to attract more Arab buyers and display a wider range of Korea’s indigenously developed missiles and other military systems.

Among others, the company will showcase a medium-range surface-to-air missile system, Cheongung; a medium-range anti-air missile, KM-SAM; a GPS-guided bomb kit, KGGB; a portable surface-to-air missile, Chiron; a software defined radio, SDR; and an artillery locating radar.

LIG Nex1 also plans to introduce a powered exoskeleton robot that maximizes the user’s operational performance as one of its core products for a future infantry system.

“We have been working hard to set up a notable presence in the Middle East, the world’s largest defense market,” company CEO Kwon Hee-won said. “LIG Nex1 has been offering defense solutions tailored to each Arab nation. We will double our efforts to secure new deals in the region by promoting our internationally competitive precision-guided weaponry. We will become a leader in the global defense industry.”

About 1,200 defense manufacturers from around the globe, including LIG Nex1 and 18 other Korean companies, will take part in IDEX 2017, drawing more than 100,000 government officials, business leaders and spectators.

LIG Nex1 had sales of 1.86 trillion won ($1.63 billion) last year and posted an 87.6 billion won operating profit.