LIG D&A said Wednesday it had signed the deal with Malaysia’s defense ministry on the sidelines of the DSA 2026 defense exhibition in Kuala Lumpur, as Malaysia’s navy moves forward with modernization efforts, opening new opportunities in the Southeast Asian market.
Haegung is a ship-to-air guided missile designed to intercept incoming threats such as anti-ship missiles and aircraft. Development of the missile began in 2011 under the supervision of the Agency for Defense Development and was completed in 2018. Mass production began in 2019, with deployment on South Korean naval vessels starting in 2021.
The export marks a significant milestone for South Korea’s defense industry, expanding its export footprint beyond land-based air defense systems such as the Cheongung-II, which has secured major deals in the Middle East, into the naval missile sector.
Unlike Cheongung, which is designed to intercept high-altitude targets, Haegung is optimized to counter low-altitude threats approaching naval vessels. It is equipped with advanced technologies, including a radio frequency radar seeker capable of detecting distant targets and a dual-mode seeker that enables precise tracking by detecting heat signatures.
Under the deal, the missiles will be installed on three offshore patrol vessels operated by the Malaysian navy. The vessels are being built by Turkish defense firm STM.
Separately, LIG D&A is also seeking to expand into the U.S. market, showcasing its guided rocket system “Bigung” at a maritime defense exhibition in Maryland. The system drew attention from U.S. military officials after achieving a perfect hit rate in a live-fire test conducted near Hawaii in July 2024.
A company official said, “We will continue to expand our exports, building on the success of Cheongung-II in the Middle East and the latest Haegung deal in Southeast Asia, while also pursuing opportunities in the U.S. market.”
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