The Royal Thai Navy has completed its evaluation of bids for a new 4,000-ton frigate, worth roughly 175 billion baht (~800 billion won) and expandable toward 4 trillion won with follow-on ships, and Korean reporting on September 1, 2026 says Hanwha Ocean was the only bidder to clear the first qualification and technical round. The result has been forwarded to the Thai Defense Ministry and cabinet for final approval, with an announcement expected within days. Hanwha Ocean holds an edge from its 2018 delivery of the 3,700-ton HTMS Bhumibol Adulyadej and its improved Ocean-40F export design, while HD Hyundai Heavy Industries countered with a roughly 40% local-production pitch. No final signature had been confirmed as of September 3.
The US Navy on September 1, 2026 began formal evaluations of three allied frigate designs, including South Korea's 4,300-ton Chungnam-class (FFX Batch III), alongside Japan's Mogami-class and Turkiye's Istanbul-class, USNI News reported. The plan, set out in an August 13 procurement framework with $1.85 billion in FY2027 funds, is to buy up to two ships from a foreign builder before transferring construction to US yards, with a selection deadline of November 12, 2026. The Chungnam-class is built by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, SK Oceanplant, and Hanwha Ocean and features CODLOG propulsion with a Rolls-Royce MT30 gas turbine, a 30-knot top speed, and a strong anti-submarine fit. A US selection would be the first American purchase of a Korean-designed warship and would build on Hanwha's Philly Shipyard investment and the growing US-Korea shipbuilding partnership.
President Lee Jae-myung directed the Ministry of National Defense on August 18, 2026 to speed up development of the Jangbogo-N nuclear-powered attack submarine, days after DAPA established dedicated program organizations on August 12 using the KSS-III development team. In parallel, Seoul introduced draft legislation to provide the legal and institutional framework for building indigenous nuclear-powered submarines, including fuel supply and safety oversight. The moves follow DAPA's pledge in its second-half policy report to finalize the Jangbogo-N business plan within 2026, with a first boat targeted for the mid-2030s. The President also reaffirmed plans to complete the wartime operational control transfer during his term.
DAPA delivered the first vessel of the upgraded Geomdoksuri-B (PKX-B Batch-II) fast patrol ship program to the Navy at a ceremony at a Busan shipyard on August 14. The ship carries guided rockets and anti-jamming systems and will complete operational evaluation before deploying near the Northern Limit Line, the de facto maritime border with North Korea in the Yellow Sea. Three follow-on vessels are scheduled for phased delivery by the end of 2026, completing the four-ship batch ordered for delivery between August and November. The Batch-II boats are the successor to the original Chamsuri-class replacements and add hardened navigation and communications against GPS jamming — a direct response to repeated North Korean interference along the western sea border.
The Defense Acquisition Program Administration officially signed the detailed design and lead-ship construction contract for the Korean Destroyer Next Generation (KDDX) program with Hanwha Ocean on July 31, 2026. The lead-ship contract is worth KRW 837.9 billion (~$587 million) within a roughly KRW 7.8 trillion ($5.4 billion) six-ship program. The ~7,000-ton KDDX will be South Korea's first destroyer with a fully domestic combat system — including indigenous combat management, multifunction radar, and sonar — with the first vessel due for delivery to the ROK Navy by 2032. The signing formalizes Hanwha Ocean's June evaluation win over HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and moves the long-delayed program into the construction phase.
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and Hanwha Ocean are jointly targeting Saudi Arabia's naval procurement programs, positioning the effort as a test of whether South Korea's shipbuilders can develop a cooperative export model for large international defense contracts rather than competing head-to-head abroad. The push follows both firms' World Defense Show 2026 activity — HD HHI pitched its 6,500-ton HDF-6000 export frigate for Saudi Arabia's next-generation surface combatant program, and Korean partners signed a supply-chain MOU with the Saudi Ministry of Investment to support Vision 2030 localization requirements. The Saudi effort is expected to serve as a bellwether for Korea's ability to structure collaborative, rather than rivalrous, bids on major overseas naval tenders.
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries completed the basic design of the HDS-1500MGP, a 1,500-ton class diesel-electric submarine offered to replace the Peruvian Navy's aging German-built boats, and is now aiming to convert it into a detailed-design and construction contract by the end of 2026, with full-scale construction slated to begin in 2027. Shin Hyung-sik, vice president of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries' Naval Ship Division, said that "if the government backs us with close cooperation, I am confident we can absolutely win the order," which would mark Korea's first submarine export in 15 years. The submarine effort builds on a joint development contract signed in December 2024 and a broader April 2024 partnership under which HD Hyundai is already building four surface vessels (worth about 640 billion won) for Peru. The push follows HD Hyundai's unsuccessful bid in Canada's patrol submarine competition, which Germany won. No construction contract has been signed yet — the year-end decision is the watch item.
The Royal Thai Navy is expected to name a preferred bidder within the month for a 4,000-ton frigate with a budget of about 17.5 billion baht ($523 million), potentially expanding to roughly $2.7 billion with three follow-on ships. Thailand is reportedly leaning toward Hanwha Ocean's Ocean-40F design over HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and Turkey's ASFAT, though no official winner had been announced as of July 17. HD Hyundai reportedly offered around 40 percent local content against a 20 percent requirement. The competition remains a pending selection, not a signed deal.
President Donald Trump said the U.S. will “probably” look at Korean and other companies for shipbuilding cooperation to reinforce the U.S. Navy, speaking at the Defense and Innovation Summit at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania. The remarks follow the U.S. Navy issuing requests for information to leading Korean shipbuilders on their capacity to rapidly build destroyers and oilers, and build on the Trump–Lee agreement to deepen shipbuilding cooperation. Hanwha appears best positioned in the near term as the only Korean firm already owning a U.S. yard, having acquired Philly Shipyard for $100 million in December 2024 and working through the licensing needed to build combat ships domestically; Hanwha Defense USA president and CEO Michael Coulter told the summit that “our shipyard in Korea puts out about one ship a week. We have a plan to bring that capability to Philadelphia.” The push sits within the MASGA project, under which Seoul agreed to invest $150 billion toward revitalizing U.S. shipbuilding as part of a broader $350 billion U.S. investment package.
Canada selected Germany's Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) as preferred supplier for the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project on July 7, ending Hanwha Ocean's bid to build up to 12 diesel-electric submarines under the ~C$60 trillion won ($39B) program. Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the decision ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara. TKMS prevailed by emphasizing its status as a NATO ally already supplying European navies and offering a larger economic package. Hanwha Ocean — which had signed partnerships with 80+ Canadian firms and pledged C$70B in economic benefits and a first-boat delivery by 2032 — was designated the reserve supplier, retained as an alternative if TKMS falters. Hanwha Ocean shares fell more than 23% on the news. The loss is a setback for Korea's NATO-market naval export ambitions, though analysts note the local partnership network and reserve status preserve a future path.
Competing proposals in the US Congress could determine how extensively South Korean shipbuilders participate in future US Navy construction. The House Armed Services Committee approved a fiscal 2027 defense authorization bill on June 5 that includes Rep. Jared Golden's amendment prohibiting Navy funding for battle force ships and major components built at foreign shipyards. The Senate Armed Services Committee took a different approach on June 11, allowing the Pentagon to procure up to two bulk fuel vessels and two strategic sealift vessels from allied foreign shipyards. The outcome will shape the direction of Korea-US shipbuilding cooperation, as Hanwha Ocean's Philadelphia shipyard investment and HD Hyundai's HII partnership both hinge on the final legislation.
Canada's defense minister confirmed the $42.2 billion Canadian Patrol Submarine Project will go to a single supplier, with a decision expected before PM Carney departs for the NATO summit in Ankara on July 7. Hanwha Ocean faces Germany's TKMS in the final round to build up to 12 diesel-electric submarines. Hanwha has signed partnerships with 80+ Canadian firms, pledging C$70B in economic effects and 25,000 annual jobs. A Korean win would be the largest naval export in K-defense history and could open follow-on bids in Greece and Saudi Arabia.
LIG Defense & Aerospace (formerly LIG Nex1) made its first appearance at the Sea-Air-Space exposition in National Harbor, Maryland, June 20–22. The company showcased the Bigung (Poniard) 2.75-inch guided rocket and its Naval Launcher System (NLS), positioned for integration on unmanned surface vessels and smaller platforms. The Bigung passed final testing under the US Defense Department's Foreign Comparative Testing program, raising expectations for US export orders. LIG D&A established its US subsidiary LIG Defense U.S. Inc. earlier in 2026 to support market entry.
SK Oceanplant delivered the ROKS Gyeongbuk, the second Ulsan-class (FFX) Batch-III frigate, to the ROK Navy on June 19, ahead of the original end-June schedule. The 3,600-ton, 129-meter frigate successfully passed sea trials and naval gun-firing tests. SK Oceanplant plans to deliver the follow-on frigates ROKS Jeonnam and ROKS Jeju at approximately six-month intervals, continuing the program's strong execution record.
|Naval News
ROKS Gyeongbuk FFX Batch-III frigate SK Oceanplant
Hanwha Aerospace unveiled the Striker-S Medium Uncrewed Surface Vessel (MUSV) at Eurosatory 2026 on June 15. The 35-meter, 250-ton unmanned missile vessel integrates the Chunmoo rocket launcher for surface-to-surface and surface-to-ground naval strike missions using coordinated autonomous swarm tactics. The vessel features a 6-meter beam, a 20-foot container payload module rated at 10 tons, and includes counter-UAS capability for self-defense against enemy reconnaissance drones and loitering munitions.
DAPA selected Hanwha Ocean as the preferred bidder for the KDDX next-generation destroyer program on June 11, 2026. The six-ship program covers 6,000–6,500-ton surface combatants valued at KRW 7.8 trillion ($5.1B) for air defense, ASW, strike, and escort. Hanwha Ocean scored 93.9542 vs HD Hyundai Heavy Industries' 93.3675. HD Hyundai led on technical score but received a 1.2-point security-related deduction. DAPA aims to complete negotiations and sign the contract in July 2026. This will be Korea's first fully indigenous destroyer.
The Ministry of National Defense released the "Basic Plan for the Development of the Republic of Korea Nuclear-Powered Submarine" (Jangbogo-N). The SSN program targets mid-2030s launch and late-2030s commissioning using low-enriched uranium fuel, to be built entirely domestically under IAEA safeguards. President Lee Jae-myung called to "accelerate the introduction of nuclear-powered submarines" the same day North Korea tested new tactical weapons.
The Defense Project Promotion Committee approved the purchase of Standard Missile-6 (SM-6) long-range ship-to-air missiles via U.S. FMS for 530 billion won (~$351.5M). The SM-6s will equip three King Jeongjo the Great-class (KDX-III Batch-II) Aegis destroyers through 2034. SM-6 has a 460km range and 36km altitude capability. The budget was reduced from an original 770 billion won plan with a reduced missile quantity.
SK Oceanplant launched ROKS Jeju (FFG-832), the fourth Ulsan-class Batch III (Chungnam-class) frigate for the Republic of Korea Navy, at its Goseong shipyard on April 29, 2026. The 3,600-ton-class vessel (4,300 tons full load) is 129 meters long with a beam of 15 meters and maximum speed of 30 knots. It features an integrated sensor mast with a domestically developed phased-array radar and IRST system, plus a hybrid propulsion system combining electric propulsion with gas turbine. The ship strengthens ROKN capabilities across air defense, anti-surface, land-attack, and anti-submarine warfare. Delivery to the Navy is scheduled for June 2027.
LIG Defense & Aerospace signed a $94 million (KRW 140 billion) contract with Malaysia's Ministry of Defence for the K-SAAM Haegung ship-launched surface-to-air missile — the system's first-ever export. The contract was signed at DSA 2026 in Kuala Lumpur on April 22. The Haegung missiles, capable of Mach 2 speed and 20 km range, will be installed on Royal Malaysian Navy Littoral Mission Ships (LMS Batch 2) built by Turkish firm STM. The deal marks LIG D&A's expansion into Southeast Asian naval defense markets.
DAPA is operating an integrated Korea Pavilion at Defense Services Asia (DSA) 2026, held April 20-23 at MITEC in Kuala Lumpur. Eight Korean defense firms are showcasing hull-mounted sonars for minesweepers, underwater drones, and AI-based command decision support systems. DSA 2026, Asia's largest defense exhibition, draws approximately 1,400 defense companies from around the world and officials from more than 60 countries. The pavilion includes buyer-matching consultation sessions to generate tangible export outcomes in Southeast Asia.
LIG Defense & Aerospace (formerly LIG Nex1) announced the establishment of its first American subsidiary, LIG Defense U.S. Inc., on April 8, 2026. The entity will serve as the company's primary hub for partnership development, technology exchange, and market engagement across the U.S. defense sector. Retired Vice Admiral Rich Brown, former Commander of Naval Surface Forces, was appointed senior advisor. The announcement came ahead of LIG D&A's planned debut at the Sea-Air-Space Exposition in National Harbor, Maryland.
DAPA opened bidding for the KDDX next-generation destroyer program, distributing RFPs to HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and Hanwha Ocean on March 26, 2026. The program covers six 6,000-ton class destroyers at ~KRW 7.04 trillion ($4.9B), with contractor selection targeted for July 2026. This will be Korea's first fully indigenous destroyer.
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries pitched its 6,500-ton HDF-6000 export frigate for Saudi Arabia's next-generation surface combatant program at the World Defense Show 2026 in Riyadh. The frigate is capable of ballistic missile defense, deep-strike operations, and multi-domain warfare, developed using experience from ROK Navy Sejong-class and Jeongjo-class destroyers. HD HHI signed an MOU with the Saudi Ministry of Investment and 12 Korean partner firms to develop a local supply chain supporting Saudi localization requirements.
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries signed a contract with the Peruvian Navy to jointly develop next-generation submarines — the company's first-ever submarine export deal. The basic design phase began in January 2026 for an 11-month period. This is separate from the existing 4-vessel surface combatant project (frigate, patrol vessel, landing craft) worth 640 billion won with Peru.
The Philippines has signed a contract with Hanwha Ocean for two HDC-3100 corvettes to modernize the Philippine Navy's surface fleet. The 3,100-ton vessels will be the most capable warships in the Philippine fleet.
Hanwha Group completed its acquisition of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME), rebranding the company as Hanwha Ocean. The move strengthens Hanwha's position in both commercial shipbuilding and naval defense.