Victek Succeeds in Localizing Submarine Electronic Warfare Equipment... Begins First Mass Production

Sequential Replacement Starting with Type 209 Submarines
Localization Yields Savings in Foreign Currency and MRO

Domestically developed electronic warfare equipment will be installed on submarines operated by the Navy. With victek, a domestic defense SME, succeeding in the localization of electronic warfare equipment, it is expected that performance upgrades will be sequentially applied starting with the third vessel of the Type 209 (1,200-ton) submarine, the Choi Museon.

Jangbogo-class (Type 209) submarine. The Jangbogo-class submarine is a domestically licensed production of the German Navy's Type 209, with nine units currently constructed. It is a 1,200-ton diesel submarine known for its excellent stealth capabilities and is capable of launching torpedoes, mines, and Harpoon missiles.

On December 11, victek announced that it would hold a rollout ceremony for the first unit of electronic warfare equipment for the Type 209 submarine at its electronic warfare test site in Icheon. The submarine electronic warfare equipment is an electronic support (ES) system that receives and analyzes threat signals emitted from enemy aircraft and naval vessels’ radars. It is characterized by requiring watertight radome technology to protect the antenna in the underwater environment of a submarine.

Until now, Korean submarines have used equipment developed by Argos of the United States, which was introduced in the 1990s. However, when Argos went bankrupt due to management difficulties, operational challenges arose. Maintenance and repairs were delayed in the event of equipment failure, and follow-up logistical support was limited.

In December 2024, victek signed a contract with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration worth 38.724 billion won to supply BLQ-100K electronic warfare equipment for submarines. With the successful localization of electronic warfare equipment, the company plans to replace all electronic warfare systems on six out of the nine Type 209 submarines currently in service. The Argos electronic warfare equipment was known to cost 6.1 billion won, whereas victek's equipment costs only 80% of that amount, resulting in significant foreign currency savings.

Having succeeded in localizing electronic warfare equipment for the Type 209 submarine, victek is now taking on the challenge of localizing electronic warfare equipment for the Type 214 submarine (KSS-II). The company expects that timely logistical support will not only maximize operational capability but also greatly improve the ability to respond to new threat signals. Furthermore, the developed technology is expected to be applicable to the localization of electronic warfare systems for next-generation submarines (KSS-III) in the future.

Im Mankyu, CEO of victek, stated, "As a specialized electronic warfare company, we will successfully carry out this project and contribute to the realization of self-reliant national defense," adding, "We will do our utmost to expand the application of similar electronic warfare equipment to the aviation and civilian sectors and to develop export models."

Meanwhile, victek is a developer of electronic warfare equipment that rapidly detects and warns of electromagnetic signals emitted by enemy radars and various missiles. The company has localized three core components: the digital frequency discriminator (DFD), the log video amplifier (DLVA), and the radome. By expanding the signal detection range and significantly reducing weight and size, victek has also managed to lower the price by about 30% compared to Swedish equipment. An open architecture has been adopted to facilitate future performance upgrades, and the equipment was standardized in 2014 and designated as a defense article.