HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Unveils First Models of Next-Generation Warships Including Destroyers

Participation in the International Maritime Defense Industry Exhibition

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries will showcase scale models of next-generation warships under development for the first time at the International Maritime Defense Industry Exhibition (MADEX 2023) held at BEXCO, Busan, from the 7th to the 9th.

Perspective view of the next-generation Korean Destroyer (KDDX) under development by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries

The warships unveiled at this exhibition include the next-generation Korean Destroyer eXperimental (KDDX), the concept of an unmanned power command and control ship revealed for the first time, an upgraded Korean aircraft carrier model, and an offshore patrol vessel (OPV) for export.

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries has been conducting basic design work since winning the contract for the Navy’s core future power KDDX first ship project in March 2020. The KDDX model optimizes system integration by applying an integrated mast and a domestically developed combat system, and it is the first in Korea to adopt a 'large-capacity, high-output integrated electric propulsion system.'

Its most notable feature is that it is designed as a 'future expandable platform' to facilitate the addition of future weapon systems or performance upgrades of the platform.

The unmanned power command and control ship is an advanced warship capable of performing unmanned reconnaissance missions at sea, underwater, and in the air by utilizing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), unmanned surface vehicles (USVs), and unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs).

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries proactively proposed the concept of the unmanned power command and control ship and is expected to play a significant role in setting the direction for the Navy’s manned-unmanned combined system construction project.

The Korean aircraft carrier is an evolved model of the light aircraft carrier concept study completed by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries in 2020. It is designed with extended length, width, and breadth to enable operation using the Catapult Assisted Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (CATOBAR) system instead of vertical take-off and landing. It applies an Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and next-generation Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) to accommodate domestically developed carrier-based aircraft (KF-21N).

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Korean-style Aircraft Carrier Rendering

Joo Won-ho, Head of the Special Ship Business Division at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, said, "This will be the first opportunity to present the results of our research and development and new concepts for follow-up warships. With HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ excellent technology, we will take a leading role in building the Navy’s manned-unmanned combined system and defense industry exports."

Meanwhile, during the exhibition, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries plans to promote mutual cooperation with Babcock Canada for submarine exports and jointly develop simulators to support crew training for export warships with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), further strengthening partnerships with domestic and international defense companies.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.