LIG Nex 1 opens new Goalkeeper maintenance facility

« As weapon systems become more sophisticated, ensuring stable maintenance capabilities is becoming an important task, » LIG Nex 1 stated. As of now, LIG Nex 1 teams are able « to reduce the time and expense required for Goalkeeper support costs, » it added.

In 2006, LIG Nex1 signed a contract with the South Korean company Jiaxing to set up a joint venture company for the RoK Navy Goalkeeper systems support. In 2006, it transferred technical experience and technology to the original company, Thales Netherland.

LIG Nex1 officially opened a new Goalkeeper CIWS maintenance facility at the company’s Gumi plant on Tuesday, April 16. The ceremony was attended by Kwon Byung-Hyun, LIG Next 1 Production Division General Manager and Geert van der Molen, Vice-President of Thales Netherland. — Opening ceremony of LIG Nex 1 new Goalkeeper CIWS maintenance facility (Credit: LIG Nex 1)

The RoK Navy currently operates the Goalkeeper CIWS on four types of ships: the Gwanggaeto the Great-class, Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin-class and Sejong the Great-class destroyers as well as on the Dokdo-class LHD/LPH vessels.

Development of the Goalkeeper system began in 1975 with Hollandse Signaal, now Thales Nederland). It mainly flies on the GAU-8/A Avenger 30 mm cannon, a 2D I band search radar and a tracking radar operating in both I band and K band.