Government Officials from 9 Countries Including Canada and Australia Attend
Aegis and Escort Ships Also Boarded
Sea trial of the 3,000-ton class submarine Sin Chae-ho, delivered by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries to the Navy on the 4th. Photo by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries held an event inviting government officials from nine countries worldwide, together with the Ministry of National Defense and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, to showcase the excellence of K-ships such as submarines, Aegis destroyers, and frigates.
On the 4th, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries announced that it held the delivery signing ceremony for the 3,000-ton class submarine (Batch-Ⅰ) No. 3 vessel, the Shin Chae-ho, at its headquarters in Ulsan. Attendees included Kim Doo-gyeom, Mayor of Ulsan; Seong Il, Director of Power Resource Management at the Ministry of National Defense; Han Kyung-ho, Head of Future Power Projects at the Defense Acquisition Program Administration; Kang Jeong-ho, Commander of the Navy Submarine Command; as well as Lee Sang-gyun, CEO of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, and Joo Won-ho, Head of the Special Ship Business Division.
Notably, the event was attended by Michael L. Macdonald, Canadian Senator; Michael Jacobson, Director of the Australian Submarine Command; Paul Duclos, Ambassador of Peru to Korea; along with over 20 government officials from nine countries including the United States, the Philippines, Poland, Colombia, Ecuador, and the United Kingdom, confirming the excellence of K-ships.
After the Shin Chae-ho delivery signing ceremony, the guests toured the Special Ship Business Division yard, visiting the Shin Chae-ho submarine, the Aegis destroyer Jeongjo the Great, and the frigate Chungnam in sequence.
Among the visiting countries, Canada, Peru, Australia, the Philippines, and Poland are considered likely partners for K-ship export cooperation, while cooperation in defense MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) with the United States is under review, adding significance to the event.
The Shin Chae-ho is a submarine independently designed and built with Korean technology, delivered on schedule for the first time among domestic 3,000-ton class submarines thanks to active cooperation and support from the Defense Acquisition Program Administration and the Navy. Following the timely delivery of the Ulsan-class frigates Cheonan and Chuncheon, the on-time delivery of the Shin Chae-ho has brought HD Hyundai Heavy Industries increased attention for its technological capability (performance assurance), project management skills (process control), and construction cost efficiency.
The Shin Chae-ho is equipped with the latest fuel cell and lead-acid battery propulsion systems and state-of-the-art noise reduction technology, significantly enhancing the submarine's operational endurance, stealth, and survivability.
It can operate various armaments such as guided missiles, torpedoes, and naval mines, and is a core force of the sea-based underwater kill chain, operating submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM) mounted on a vertical launch system.
Since its launching ceremony in September 2021, the Shin Chae-ho underwent a 30-month testing and evaluation period and, after delivery to the Navy, is scheduled to be deployed in operations by the end of this year following the weaponization process.
Joo Won-ho, Head of the Special Ship Business Division at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, said, "We are very pleased to be able to showcase our outstanding submarine, delivered on schedule, to countries around the world through this event. We will do our utmost to achieve results in K-defense exports as ‘Team Korea’ together with the government."
Meanwhile, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries was selected last month on the 28th as the preferred partner for local joint production of four vessels, including frigates, by Peru, and has so far secured orders for a total of 18 overseas vessels.
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