Development of Export-Oriented Offshore Patrol Vessels
Targeting Overseas Naval Markets
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries announced on the 4th that it will participate in the International Maritime Defense Industry Exhibition (MADEX 2023) held at BEXCO, Busan from the 7th to the 9th, showcasing models of next-generation warships for the first time.
The warships unveiled at this exhibition include the next-generation Korean Destroyer (KDDX) currently being developed by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, the unmanned power command and control ship whose concept is revealed for the first time, an upgraded Korean aircraft carrier model, and an offshore patrol vessel (OPV) for export.
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries won the contract for the Navy’s core future power KDDX first ship project in March 2020 and has been conducting the basic design. The KDDX model revealed this time optimizes system integration by applying an integrated mast and a domestically developed combat system, and for the first time in Korea, adopts a ‘large-capacity, high-output integrated electric propulsion system.’ The most notable feature is that it is designed as a ‘future expandable platform’ to facilitate the addition of future weapon systems and subsequent platform performance upgrades according to technological advancements.
Perspective view of the offshore patrol vessel ordered by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries from the Philippine Department of National Defense in 2022 [Photo provided by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries]
The unmanned power command and control ship, unveiled for the first time at MADEX 2023, is an advanced warship capable of performing unmanned reconnaissance missions at sea, underwater, and in the air using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), unmanned surface vehicles (USVs), and unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs). By proactively proposing the concept of the unmanned power command and control ship, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries is expected to play a significant role in setting the direction for the Navy’s manned-unmanned combined system construction project.
The Korean aircraft carrier model revealed together is an evolved version of the light aircraft carrier concept study completed by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries in 2020. The length, width, and breadth of the light aircraft carrier have been expanded, and it is designed to operate using the Catapult Assisted Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (CATOBAR) system instead of the vertical take-off and landing method. It can accommodate domestically developed carrier-based aircraft (KF-21N) by applying the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and next-generation Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG).
The exhibition will also showcase a model of the offshore patrol vessel (OPV) developed by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries for export. HD Hyundai Heavy Industries plans to actively promote the upgraded OPV model to drive overseas warship exports. Following the orders for frigates and patrol vessels, which are key forces in the modernization project of the Philippine Navy in 2016 and 2021, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries succeeded in securing an OPV order in 2022 and has been actively targeting the overseas warship market.
A bird's-eye view of the next-generation warships first unveiled by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries at MADEX 2023 [Photo by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries]
Since starting the development of Ulsan, Korea’s first domestically produced combat ship, in 1975, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries has built a total of 102 warships, including the Korean Aegis destroyer (Sejong the Great) in 2008. Recently, it has successfully constructed the Navy’s core forces such as the Aegis destroyer Batch-II first ship (Jeongjo the Great) and Ulsan-class Batch-III first ship (Chungnam), and is currently conducting the basic design of the next-generation Korean Destroyer (KDDX).
Joo Won-ho, Head of the Special Ship Business Division at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, said, “MADEX 2023 will be an opportunity to present the results of our research and development efforts and propose new concepts for follow-up warships for the first time. With HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ excellent technology, we will take a leading role in building the Navy’s manned-unmanned combined system and in overseas defense exports.”
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