Completion of 5,400t Large Aquarium Test Site 2... Continued Investment by LIG Nex1 in Gumi
Last Year’s Unmanned Surface Vehicle System Integration Test Building, Large-Scale Investment MOU in May This Year
LIG Nex1 (CEO Shin Ik-hyun) held a completion ceremony for the Large Test Tank 2 facility at the Gumi House on the 26th.
The ceremony was attended by over 70 people, including LIG Nex1 CEO Shin Ik-hyun, Yoon Jae-ho, Chairman of the Gumi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Kim Pal-geun, Director of the Advanced Industry Bureau of Gumi City, as well as officials from the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, the Navy, the Agency for Defense Development, the Defense Technology Quality Institute, the Defense Rapid Acquisition Technology Research Institute, and related companies.
The Large Test Tank 2 facility spans approximately 2,220㎡ and features the largest domestic 5,400-ton test tank, advanced testing equipment, cranes, and ample internal space. This enables the development, verification, and mass production of world-class high-frequency and low-frequency underwater acoustic sensors, positioning it as a strategic foothold for future sonar system exports.
By establishing the test facility in Gumi, LIG Nex1 is expected to significantly contribute to strengthening naval power through the advancement of sonar (Sound Of Navigation And Ranging) system technology, which is a core piece of equipment for underwater surveillance and reconnaissance.
While radar is primarily used as a detection device in the air or on land, radar is extremely limited for communication and detection underwater. Sound waves are the only effective means to detect over long distances underwater, making sonar systems essential equipment for enhancing naval underwater operational capabilities and securing the ability to respond to enemy threats. Therefore, building a large test tank for performance verification is indispensable.
Dedicated to becoming an ocean-going navy, LIG Nex1 has devoted itself to sonar system development to enhance naval power, starting with the development of the Jangbogo-III side-array sensor in 2009 and including prototype towed sonar transmitter and receiver equipment for destroyers (KDDX).
LIG Nex1 has continuously invested in the marine sector in Gumi City, including the unmanned surface vehicle system integration test building completed in November 2023, the already established Large Test Tank 1, and now the Large Test Tank 2. Production of guided weapons such as the export-successful Cheongung-II, the Bigung expected to be exported to the U.S., and the long-range artillery interception system whose assembly and inspection facility was completed in January this year is ongoing, promising a bright future.
In particular, LIG Nex1 is driving regional economic revitalization through active cooperation in the process of being selected for the Gyeongbuk-Gumi Defense Innovation Cluster, signing investment MOUs worth 110 billion KRW in September 2022 (expansion of Gumi Plants 1 and 2) and 200 billion KRW in May 2024 (facility expansion and future business infrastructure enhancement).
Kim Pal-geun, Director of the Advanced Industry Bureau, said, “We appreciate LIG Nex1’s consistent interest, support, and investment, which have contributed to the advancement of cutting-edge defense technology and the revitalization of the regional defense industry ecosystem. Based on LIG Nex1’s excellent technological capabilities, we hope it will continue to grow into a world-class defense company with a super-gap competitive edge.”
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