Sweeping Orders for 32 New Coastal Defense Patrol Boats
Proving Unrivaled Technological Expertise as the "Cradle" of Domestic High-Speed Patrol Boats
HJ Shipbuilding & Construction (CEO Yoo Sangcheol) has further demonstrated its competitiveness in the naval vessel construction defense industry by winning an additional order for four new high-speed patrol boats for the Navy.
On December 18, HJ Shipbuilding & Construction announced that it had been selected as the preferred negotiation partner for the construction of four new Navy high-speed patrol boats (PKMR-B Batch-II, hull numbers 13 to 16) ordered by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration.
After undergoing technical negotiations and other procedures, the company reportedly signed a naval vessel construction contract worth 312.5 billion won with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration on December 17.
HJ Shipbuilding & Construction previously won and built all 16 vessels of the new high-speed patrol boat (PKMR-B Batch-I) project and delivered them to the Navy. In the subsequent PKMR-B Batch-II project, the company has also secured orders for all 16 vessels commissioned to date, thereby proving its unrivaled competitiveness in the high-speed patrol vessel sector.
The new high-speed patrol boat (PKMR; Patrol boat Killer Medium Rocket) is the Navy's latest vessel, equipped with combat capabilities optimized for coastal defense and tasked with protecting territorial waters. The current PKMR-B Batch-II project has significantly improved vessel operability and habitability by thoroughly reflecting over 30 performance upgrades and enhancements compared to the previous Batch-I project.
The company explained that by applying waterjet propulsion, the vessels can operate in shallow waters, and by equipping them with state-of-the-art combat systems, anti-guided missile decoy systems, and electronic warfare equipment, firepower and survivability have been greatly improved compared to existing high-speed patrol boats. These vessels will be deployed as core assets for safeguarding the Northern Limit Line (NLL).
Over the past 50 years, HJ Shipbuilding & Construction has established itself as a leading builder of domestically produced high-speed patrol boats and is recognized for its unrivaled technological expertise, having been responsible for constructing all 32 new high-speed patrol boats.
HJ Shipbuilding & Construction is regarded as a defense contractor capable of handling the entire lifecycle of naval vessels, from new construction to MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul), by carrying out projects such as the performance upgrade of the Navy's Dokdo-class amphibious assault ship, the guided missile patrol boat upgrade, and high-speed landing craft overhaul. On December 15, the company also announced its entry into the overseas MRO market by signing a maintenance contract for a US Navy logistics support vessel, the first such contract for a Korean mid-sized shipbuilder.
A representative from HJ Shipbuilding & Construction emphasized, "With pride and a sense of duty as the cradle of domestically produced high-speed patrol boats for over half a century, we will flawlessly fulfill our mission to build the Navy's frontline coastal defense vessels and contribute to strengthening the nation's maritime defense capabilities."
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