[Yang Nak-gyu's Defence Club] Secret Research Facility Containing Core Technologies of 'K-Missile'

LIG Nex1 Daejeon House Hills Research Institute First Media Reveal
First Domestic Defense Company Capable of Missile Simulation
Cheongung-II, Likely for Saudi Export, Also Completed Here

Our military began possessing domestically produced missiles in the early 1970s. The first domestically produced missile was the short-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile 'Baekgom (NHK-1)', which was reverse-engineered from the American surface-to-air missile 'MIM-14 Nike Hercules (NH)'. Reverse engineering involved disassembling an existing product to understand its principles and then designing it independently.

Afterward, in October 1983, following the Burma (now Myanmar) 'Aung San Mausoleum bombing terror' incident carried out by North Korean agents, the Chun Doo-hwan administration officially launched the domestic missile development project. Forty years have passed, missile technology has accumulated, and now it has become the mainstay of 'K-defense industry'. Last year, LIG Nex1 opened the door to South Korea's largest-ever defense export by exporting the surface-to-air missile interception system 'Cheongung-II' worth $3.5 billion to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Starting with the export of Cheongung-II, exports of FA-50, K2 tanks, K9 self-propelled howitzers, and Chunmoo have followed, ushering in an unprecedented golden age for K-defense. We visited the LIG Nex1 Daejeon House, where domestic missile technology is concentrated.

The Research Institute Containing the Future of Korean Missiles

The medium-range surface-to-air missile (M-SAM 2) "Cheongung-II," known as the "Korean-style Patriot," intercepts missiles at 15 to 20 km. The photo shows the Cheongung live-fire exercise held at the Daecheon shooting range in Boryeong, Chungnam. Photo by XXX

Daejeon House is a precision-guided weapon research and development (R&D) facility built in 2017 with an investment of 130 billion KRW. Located near the Agency for Defense Development, the hub of South Korea's defense science (Daedeok Research and Development Special Zone), the research institute covers a total floor area of 42,800 m² (approximately 10,000 pyeong). A company official introduced it as "a place that holds the future of Korean missiles."

Inside the building, reminiscent of a university, is the 'HILS (Hardware in the Loop Simulation)' facility. The HILS facility is a type of simulator. A company official said, "This place is accessible only to certain missile research personnel," adding, "This is the first time it has been open to the media." The HILS facility installs missile models before actual test launches and creates an environment simulating missile flight. It allows testing in a virtual space whether the missile flies properly and can accurately hit the target. Since it can detect faults in guided missiles in advance, it shortens development time and saves costs. The HILS facility can observe the missile's three-dimensional spatial position, including up-down, left-right, and rotation. It observes six degrees of freedom (DOF), hence called '6 gyro (DOF)'.

HILS Facility Enables Various Tests Before Actual Missile Launch

Upon entering the HILS test site where virtual missiles can be launched, the first thing that caught the eye was the barbed wire fence. Missiles fly at supersonic speeds. Supersonic means faster than sound and is expressed in 'Mach'. Mach 1 equals 1,224 km/h. Since the simulator replicates the missile's supersonic speed, the device's rotation speed is very fast, posing a risk of injury, so access is blocked by barbed wire.

When the HILS was activated, the air compressed and roared. The HILS consists of two overlapping rebar structures shaped like the Korean letter 'ㅁ'. A missile model is attached to the rebar inside and moves up-down and left-right along the missile's trajectory. It took less than 0.1 seconds to move 180 degrees. Infrared projection equipment and laser devices were installed on the external rebar to test whether the guided missile properly tracks the target and how it flies toward the laser-designated target.

Guided missiles are equipped with a 'precision tracker (seeker)' that detects and tracks targets. The seeker transmits real-time video of the target from the moment of launch until the tank is hit. (Photo by LIG Nex1)

In the experimental building, it is possible to reproduce the flight of a missile model. (Photo by LIG Nex1)

A company official turned on a monitor to show the flight of a virtual missile. The scenario involved destroying enemy tanks infiltrating the Taean area of Chungnam Province with an anti-tank guided missile. On the large monitor, a tank quickly passed along a mountainside. After confirming the tank was an enemy, speed and location were input, and the guided missile was launched. The guided missile is equipped with a 'precision tracker (seeker)' that detects and tracks the target. The seeker showed real-time video of the tank from launch until impact. This video was possible because it could reproduce the missile model's flight.

Senior Researcher Kang Ho-gyun said, "LIG Nex1 is the only domestic defense company that owns a HILS facility." On the second basement floor, concrete pillars measuring 4 meters in width and length were installed under the simulator. Since the simulator is sensitive even to slight vibrations, concrete pillars separated from the building were erected to support and isolate the simulator.

The export of cutting-edge guided weapons is considered an impregnable market difficult for latecomers in the defense industry to enter. Not only do a handful of advanced countries dominate the related market, but since these weapons are tied to national security, performance and reliability must be guaranteed simultaneously. A company official emphasized, "There are many factors to consider, including geopolitical elements and diplomatic issues with export countries," adding, "Through the HILS facility, we will rewrite the success story of guided weapons leading 'K-defense industry.'"

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.