K-LOGIR launcher fitted on a Textron CUSV USV at Sea Air Space 2021. The system was showcased by Raytheon and LIG Nex1.
Naval News recently did a post highlighting a 4th Fleet live fire test combining a Korean developed fire and forget guided rocket system with the Common Uncrewed Surface Vessel (CUSV) cued to a target by a Radiosonde UAS for a fully uncrewed kill chain.
The “Poniard” Korean-Low cOst Guided Imaging Rocket (K-LOGIR) is closely related to the APKWS, both being based on the 70mm Hydra unguided rocket. Unlike the semi-active laser homing APKWS, the K-LOGIR is a fire-and-forget system allowing multiple simultaneous engagements.
Most of the reports I have read on this exercise are unclear if six missiles hit a single target or if six missiles hit six different targets, but this Defense Mirror report, “Textron’s Unmanned Boat Uses South Korean Weapon to Engage Multiple Targets.” makes it clear that multiple targets were engaged in a single salvo.
I don’t fully understand how they designate different targets for the missiles in the salvo, but it may be that they are sending them to different waypoints before they initiate their search.
The ability to engage several targets simultaneously makes this system attractive for countering surface swarm tactics like those that might be encountered by PATFORSWA, but for the Ports, Waterways, and Coastal Security mission, the APKWS’ semi-active laser homing might be a better solution, in that we are unlikely to have to engage numerous targets in a single salvo and we may want to target particular parts of an adversary’s vessel or perhaps engage low-level air targets such as UAS, helicopters, or general aviation aircraft. Presumably, APKS could be fired from the same launcher.
Textron USV fitted with LIG Next1’s Poniard guided rocket. Textron photo.
Take a look at the launcher above and below. Here it is mounted on an unmanned 39-foot boat. In the photo above you can see that it traverses and elevates. It appears to hold up to six rockets. It might be an appropriate way to arm Coast Guard patrol boats and larger cutters with APKWS, but “Vampire” might be even simpler.
K-LOGIR launcher fitted on a Textron CUSV USV at Sea Air Space 2021. The system was showcased by Raytheon and LIG Nex1.
I would really like to see 4th Fleet make more effort to publicize their experimentation efforts. I’m surprised I was not able to find a YouTube video that documented this test and I have seen no mention of it on the 4th Fleet website.
I am also curious to know if the Navy’s 39′ CUSV could be operated from the stern ramp of a National Security Cutter. Interoperability?
Chuck Hill's CG Blog 
Is it likely to be used? Maybe! Depending on what Solid Fuel Rocket Propellant is being used! US Navy only uses Neoprene-based solid fuel missile/rocket propellant for long term storage and for extreme temperature fluctuations, where Nitrocellulose-based propellants are likely to be a safety risk! In 2020, the US and South Korea signed a contract for the use of Solid Fuel Propellants, but only in the application of Low-Earth Orbital Science, which I doubt the K-LOGIR has any useful uses for…
Like APKWS this is an adaption of Hydra rockets that are already in USN service.
I’m aware of that, but is the US Navy planning to buy the plans for the K-LOGIR and produce them in the United States, or buying them off the shelf directly from South Korean sources…
No indication the USN plans to use them at all right now. We are still in the shopping around stage. Typically the USN would buy any weapon only through a US based company.
Those CUSVs should be able to work from any 11-12m RHIB boat ramp.
@Andy, Seems likely. If so it could open up new missions for NSCs in wartime.
We really need a maritime strategy with theoretical fleet, then adjusted to best fit the realities of our industrial base. Some of that would be buying more gear and munitions for existing ships. Most of the rest would be growth among smaller ship types.
If you do a search on Google for “Hydra 70“ there is a huge article that covers 2.75” (70mm) Hydra Rockets. The APKWS gets the largest coverage, but there are APKWS, LOGIR, DAGR, GATR-L, TALON, and more. Now that we have greater rocket motor energetics that can be 3D printed in the rocket shell, and rocket tubes can now be very strong and light weight Carbon Fiber tubes . . . all we need now is to revisit the warhead list with better energetics. There have been intercepts of slow drones by APKWS fired from tactical jets with a much lower cost over even an AIM-9 (pick your flavor). Today you could load up an A-10G “Warthog” with multiple pods and just loiter and kill for the better part of an afternoon, and not spend so much O&M money, or $$$ for weapons. THAT is why some A-10s were saved. We (the U.S. Navy) need Hydra Rockets on Surface Combatants. Bring back the MTBs but make them missile/rocket boats and give them a 30mm shooting smart ammo and VLWTs just like in the old days.