Republikorp, an Indonesian defense company, has successfully entered into a strategic partnership with the LIG Nex1, a South Korean firm. Both parties have committed to producing and transferring technology for various types of missiles, including the South Korean-made Raybolt missile.
LIG Nex1, a domestic aerospace and defense manufacturer, producing a range of products, including missiles, guided ammunition, radar surveillance systems, and reconnaissance systems.
South Korea is one of the largest suppliers of defense systems to its military and an international arms exporter.
The partnership agreement was signed at the Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, where The Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition (Seoul ADEX 2023) was being held. Republikorp at the time attended Seoul ADEX 2023, which took place from October 17 to 22, 2023, in Seoul, South Korea.
Seoul ADEX 2023 is a biennial defense equipment exhibition featuring over 500 international companies from 34 countries, including Republikorp.
According to Norman Joesoef, Republikorp’s founder, this partnership is evidence of international confidence in the Indonesian defense industry. The military industry in Indonesia is highly advanced and primarily uses local expertise.
“We are very proud and honored that, once again, we have gained the trust of foreign defense technology companies that wish to collaborate with us. This reflects the trust we have received from international industry players,” Joesoef said.
Joesoef explained that LIG Nex1 is a South Korean defense company involved in research, development, and production of various defense systems such as ground-to-ground, ground-to-air, and sea-to-sea missiles that have been adopted by various armed forces worldwide.
“We are excited to start this collaboration with LIG Nex1 to enhance our domestic production capabilities for high-value technology equipment, such as missiles. We hope this collaboration will further strengthen the good relations between our two countries,” he added.
The South Korean government has set a target to achieve US$ 20 billion in defense exports this year, following last year’s record high of US$ 17.3 billion, supported by massive agreements to supply various weapon systems to Poland, including the K2 tank, K9 self-propelled howitzer, Chunmoo multi-launch rocket system, and FA-50 Light Combat Aircraft.
Under the slogan “Smarter Together,” LIG Nex1 showcased a range of advanced technologies at ADEX, including the Korean GPS Guided Bomb (KGGB) and Korean Air-Launched Cruise Missile (KALCM), as well as ground-based weapon systems like Raybolt and drone systems.
Besides arms exhibitions, Seoul ADEX 2023 also featured demonstrations of fighter aircraft from various countries, including solo-demo flights, aerial acrobatics, and search and rescue missions.
