KDDX to be Korea's first all-electric surface combatant as Leonardo DRS and Doosan Enerbility sign propulsion contract

Leonardo DRS and Doosan Enerbility signed a contract, reported September 21, 2026, to supply the integrated electric propulsion system for the KDDX next-generation destroyer, making it the first Korean surface combatant with full electric propulsion. The system uses permanent-magnet direct-drive motors with no reduction gearbox and a single power network that also feeds the four-panel AESA radar, freeing electrical capacity for future sensors and directed-energy weapons. No contract value was disclosed. The lead ship, ordered from Hanwha Ocean in 2026, is due at the end of 2032.