Hanwha Ocean signs 7.8 trillion won contract to build Korea's next-generation destroyer

Hanwha Ocean signed a contract with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration on Friday for the detailed design and construction of the lead ship in the Korea Destroyer Next Generation (KDDX) program, with the first vessel due to enter service in 2032.

The program, valued at 7.8 trillion won ($5.42 billion), covers six 7,000-ton destroyers built with domestic technology, the first Korean-developed Aegis-class warships. The Navy plans to field all six between 2032 and 2036 to complete its mobile fleet.

The arms-procurement agency issued the tender in March and, after site inspections and proposal evaluations, named Hanwha Ocean the preferred bidder on July 1. The company spent the following month negotiating technical terms, conditions and price with the agency and the Navy and finalized its execution plan for the detailed design and lead ship before signing.

The lead ship will be the first Korean destroyer to carry nine types of domestically developed core systems, making systems integration central to the build.

Hanwha Ocean said that it would incorporate manned-unmanned combat teaming, a multilayered defense system, reinforced cyber protection and automation to reduce crew requirements. In explaining the decision, the company cited the spread of drone threats in the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, cyberattacks capable of disabling maritime operations networks and a shrinking pool of Navy personnel.

Since its launch in May 2023, Hanwha Ocean has won contracts for and built the fifth and sixth Ulsan-class Batch III frigates and the first and second Batch IV vessels — work that the company said built up its surface-ship design and construction capabilities.

“Hanwha Ocean feels a heavy responsibility as the contractor for the KDDX detailed design and lead ship construction,” said Kim Ho-jung, the executive director for domestic sales at the company's special ship business division. “We will do everything to ensure the KDDX becomes the best destroyer, one that can lead overseas defense markets.”

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [[email protected]]