Hanwha Ocean has recently entered into a research and development service contract with the Defense Technology Quality Institute for the design of new “magnet-reducing equipment for submarines,” the company announced on Nov. 29. This equipment is designed to reduce the magnetic field generated by submarines to avoid detection by enemies.
Hanwha Ocean’s design technology will include components like magnetic coil controllers, power supplies, and magnetic sensors. The company plans to conduct research until May 2028, after which it will produce prototypes to verify their performance.
Previously, Hanwha Ocean was selected as the priority negotiator for the “Unmanned Submersible Energy Source System,” a test production project by the Agency for Defense Development in October. This project involves developing a hydrogen fuel cell system applicable to multipurpose modular unmanned submersibles.
Hanwha Ocean (formerly Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering) has built 16 out of the 23 submarines currently owned by the Navy. The company has also independently developed medium-sized submarines of over 3,000 tons. South Korea is the eighth country to develop medium-sized submarines of over 3,000 tons using indigenous technology, following the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, India, Russia, and China. Hanwha Ocean has gained international recognition for its technology, being the first in South Korea to export six submarines to Indonesia.