As the sole company with a comprehensive portfolio in the naval industry, Hanwha Ocean contributes to strengthening the Republic of Korea’s naval power by leveraging world-class vessel and submarine construction capabilities.
Starting with the delivery of the patrol vessel “Anyang” to the Republic of Korea Navy in 1983, Hanwha Ocean has been constructing various naval vessels, such as 1,500-ton escort ships, patrol boats, and frigates, for over 30 years. Over the past 40 years, it has successfully built 109 ships, including depot maintenance, as of August 2023.
Hanwha Ocean has built a total of 40 naval vessels as part of the Korean Destroyer eXperimental (KDX) program, which includes three 3,000-ton destroyers, three 4,000-ton destroyers, and one 10,000-ton destroyer. Among the destroyers currently in operation by the Republic of Korea Navy, Hanwha Ocean has constructed the largest number.
The “Yulgok Yi I” KDX-III Aegis destroyer, which was delivered in August 2010, is a formidable combat vessel with world-class capabilities in anti-ship, anti-air, and anti-submarine warfare. It is equipped with the Aegis combat system, which includes high-performance radar, allowing it to detect and track over a thousand targets simultaneously and engage approximately 20 targets simultaneously.
Hanwha Ocean has recently received orders from the South Korean Defense Acquisition Program Administration for the construction of the Ulsan-class frigate Batch-III ship numbers 5 and 6, with the main contract impending. The Ulsan-class frigate Batch-III project aims to replace the aging escort ships and patrol boats of the Republic of Korea Navy. The Ulsan-class frigate Batch-III, currently in the preparation phase, will be equipped with advanced compound smart sensor and combat systems developed by Hanwha Systems.
Hanwha Ocean has been involved in the conceptual design phase of the Republic of Korea Navy’s first smart destroyer, the Korea Destroyer Next-Generation (KDDX) project. It is currently preparing for a detailed design and shipbuilding contract, which is scheduled for the coming year.
Hanwha Ocean is presently in the process of preparing for the conceptual design phase of the South Korean Next-Generation Smart Destroyer (KDDX-S) project. KDDX-S is expected to give rise to a new type of combat vessel through collaboration between Hanwha Ocean, Hanwha Systems, Hanwha Aerospace, and other stakeholders, setting it apart from traditional combat ships.
Hanwha Ocean has initiated the concept design and technology development of the Joint Strike Ship (JSS) since April 2023 in collaboration with the naval vessel design technology department. The JSS is envisioned as an unprecedented vessel equipped with various vertical launch systems to carry out diverse missions. Hanwha Ocean aims to develop an innovative and optimal new-class vessel for the Republic of Korea Navy, showcasing its technological prowess.
Hanwha Ocean’s history of naval vessel exports began in March 1998 when it received its first order for frigates from the Bangladesh Navy. This history continued with subsequent contracts, including the sale of two training ships to Malaysia in 2010, four naval support ships to the United Kingdom in 2012, and one naval support ship to Norway in June 2013. The trend continued with a contract for escort ships with Thailand awarded in August the same year.
Since initially securing an order for the Republic of Korea Navy’s first 209-class submarine, the “Jang Bogo-I,” in 1987, Hanwha Ocean has built and delivered nine submarines of the 209-class, three submarines of the 214-class, and four new 3,000-ton submarines. It has received orders for a total of 22 submarines, including six submarines for Indonesia. With the export of the Nagapasa-class submarine to Indonesia in 2017, South Korea has achieved the honor of becoming a submarine-exporting nation for the first time among countries that introduced submarine technology. It is now recognized as the world’s fifth submarine-exporting nation, following the United Kingdom, France, Russia, and Germany.
The submarines exported to Indonesia amounted to approximately US$1.1 billion (around 1.3 trillion won) when the contract was signed in 2011, marking the largest defense export deal in South Korea’s history. During the “2014 Korea-ASEAN Special Summit” held in Busan on Dec. 10, 2014, President Joko Widodo of Indonesia, who was in South Korea for the summit, visited Hanwha Ocean’s Geoje shipyard and toured the construction site of the Indonesian submarines.
The “Jang Bogo 3 Batch-II” currently in operation is a submarine with vertical launch tubes, designed to carry submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs). Submarines equipped with SLBMs offer operational flexibility as they can freely and silently operate in various maritime areas, ensuring the confidentiality of their missions. This makes them a form of “asymmetric strategic weapon,” in contrast to ballistic missiles launched from fixed bases or bombers.
A spokesperson from Hanwha Ocean said, “To expand our presence in the global maritime defense market, particularly in the United States and Europe, and meet the demands for security, we are securing overseas production bases in combination with unmanned and advanced technologies. Our goal is to advance as a global ‘cutting-edge defense’ company.”