Scheduled for Deployment on King Jeongjo by Year-End
"Core Technology Secured Through Public-Private Collaboration"
Hanwha Aerospace, in collaboration with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, the Agency for Defense Development, and the Defense Agency for Technology and Quality, has completed the development of the Korean Vertical Launching System-II (KVLS-II) in just five years. This marks the successful completion of the first company-led system development project, in which both the public and private sectors participated as a "one team," according to the original schedule.
On the 25th, a commemorative photo was taken after the KLVS-II system development completion ceremony at Hanwha Aerospace Changwon Plant 2. Provided by Hanwha Aerospace
On the 26th, Hanwha Aerospace announced that it had held a completion ceremony the previous day at its Changwon Plant 2 in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, officially marking the end of the development. The event was attended by Bang Gukcheol, head of the Base Power Project Division at the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, as well as representatives from the Navy Headquarters, the Agency for Defense Development, the Defense Agency for Technology and Quality, and the Defense Rapid Acquisition Technology Research Institute.
Previously, in 2020, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration shifted the KVLS-II development project from government-led to company-led management in order to establish a public-private cooperation development model. During the subsequent development process, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration managed potential risk factors, the Agency for Defense Development provided test facilities and technical consulting, and the Defense Agency for Technology and Quality was responsible for quality control. Thanks to this collaboration, the project was completed as planned without any extension of the development period or increase in costs.
The KVLS-II is designed to support the launch of larger, next-generation guided weapons. It is capable of withstanding intense heat and features standardized integration for guided weapons, enabling a single launch tube to operate a variety of weapons. This allows for flexible deployment of ship-to-surface, ship-to-ship, and ship-to-air weapons depending on operational requirements. Additionally, a redundant design has been implemented so that even if some launch tubes experience issues, operational capability is not compromised.
The KVLS-II will first be installed on the Aegis destroyer King Jeongjo (KDX-III Batch-II), which is scheduled to be deployed by the end of this year. It is also planned to be equipped on future warships such as the next-generation Korean destroyer (KDDX).
Kim Donghyun, Head of the LS Business Division at Hanwha Aerospace, stated, "Thanks to close cooperation with government agencies, we were able to successfully complete the first company-led development project," adding, "We will continue to strengthen our R&D capabilities to contribute to South Korea's self-reliant national defense."
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