Kolon Spaceworks Accelerates Middle East Defense Expansion in Partnership with Hanwha Ocean

MOU Signed in Saudi Arabia
Meeting Demand for Enhanced Naval Defense Capabilities
Agreement Reached at WDS 2026
Joint Push into the Saudi and Middle Eastern Markets

Kolon Spaceworks is joining forces with Hanwha Ocean to make a full-scale push into the defense market in Saudi Arabia and the broader Middle East.

An Sanghyun, CEO of Kolon Spaceworks (right), signed a memorandum of understanding with Hanwha Ocean to jointly enter the Saudi and Middle East defense market at WDS 2026 (World Defense Show) held on the 9th (local time) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and is posing for a commemorative photo with Eo Seongcheol, President of Hanwha Ocean's Special Ships Division (left). Photo by Kolon Spaceworks

Kolon Spaceworks, an advanced composite materials solution company under the Kolon Group, announced on the 11th that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Hanwha Ocean on the 9th (local time) at WDS 2026 (World Defense Show), held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for joint entry into the Saudi and Middle Eastern markets. Under this agreement, the two companies will prepare optimal implementation plans tailored to the requirements of the Saudi government, which is pursuing the enhancement of its naval defense capabilities, and will continue to cooperate to ensure successful entry into the Middle Eastern defense market.

This collaboration is underpinned by Kolon Spaceworks' world-class composite materials technology. Leveraging the manufacturing capabilities and quality competitiveness it has accumulated through domestic submarine programs, Kolon Spaceworks has secured core component technologies essential for submarine operations, including non-pressure hulls, sonar acoustic windows, hydrogen cylinder pressure vessels, control panels, and integrated masts.

In particular, the company has participated not only in major domestic submarine programs such as the Jang Bogo-class (KSS-I), three Jang Bogo-III (KSS-III) Batch-I submarines, and three Batch-II submarines, but also in the Indonesian Navy submarine program, thereby demonstrating a proven supply track record and reliability in quality.

Kolon Spaceworks plans to use this MOU as an opportunity to strengthen its localization cooperation base and secure a bridgehead for entering the Middle Eastern market. While further enhancing the competitiveness of its defense products, the company aims to provide manufacturing quality and delivery responsiveness that meet overseas customer requirements through thorough localization, and to expand business opportunities into global markets such as North America in the future.

The MOU signing ceremony was attended by representatives from Kolon Spaceworks, Hanwha Ocean, and other major domestic defense partners. The participants agreed, under the banner of "Korea One Team," to build a cooperative network capable of responding swiftly to the needs of the Saudi government and local customers, thereby improving the efficiency of their joint response.

An Sanghyun, CEO of Kolon Spaceworks, said, "The Saudi and Middle Eastern markets demand high reliability and technological prowess, even under extreme operating conditions," adding, "Based on the composite-materials-based core component technologies and customer-tailored service experience we have accumulated in the global market, we will continue to expand our supplier base in the Middle Eastern defense market."

Meanwhile, Kolon Spaceworks is strengthening its competitiveness not only in the defense sector but also in the space launch vehicle and aviation sectors, leveraging its composite materials technology and manufacturing know-how. By supplying key components for Innospace's "Hanbit (HANBIT)" series, the first private space launch vehicle in Korea, the company is also achieving results in the private space industry. Going forward, it plans to expand global partnerships and broaden its position as an advanced composite materials solution company spanning the aerospace and next-generation defense markets.

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