LIG Nex1

• Reinforcement of competitiveness in diversifying global market through building and long-term maintenance of strategic partnership 

LIG Nex1 (CEO: Shin Ick-hyun) held a contract signing ceremony with Shield AI, a global leader in unmanned systems and autonomous flight technology, at the Unmanned Systems Exhibition and Conference (UMEX) 2026 organized in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on January 21, 2021. 

Leading executives from the two companies including CEO Shin of LIG Nex1 LIG and Executive Vice President Bob Harward of Shield AI attended the event commemorating the signing of a business contract on flight and launch testing of Shield AI’s V-BAT vertical take-off and landing aircraft mounted with LIG Multi-purpose Drone Launched Missile (L-MDM). 

L-MDM, a drone-borne air-to-ground guided missile, is a small and lightweight weapons system that LIG Nex1 is developing independently. It can pinpoint strike fixed or moving targets based on laser guidance, thereby securing safe standoff distance of combatants and improving their survivability. 
Notably, its design allows easy integration and interface with both rotary-wing and fixed wing drone platforms for surveillance and reconnaissance and thus can be applied flexibly to various platforms. 

The two companies plan to continue to build strategic partnerships in UAV and mounted weapons and strengthen competitiveness in the diversifying global market through long-term relationships. 

In May of last year, LIG Nex1 and Shield AI signed a Memorandum of Understanding on developing manned-unmanned teaming solutions for the future battlefield at the International Maritime Defense Industry Exhibition (MADEX) 2025.