Hanwha Ocean has secured a KRW 838bn ($589m) contract to design and build the lead vessel in South Korea’s Korea Destroyer Next Generation programme, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration.
The agreement runs until 30 June 2032 and is equal to 6.6% of the South Korean shipbuilder’s consolidated revenue in 2025. Delivery of the lead ship to the Republic of Korea Navy is scheduled for 2032. The award advances the KRW 7.8tn ($5.49bn) KDDX programme for six 7,000-tonne destroyers, with deliveries planned between 2032 and 2036.
The lead vessel will be South Korea’s first domestically developed Aegis-class destroyer. Its combat management system, sonar, multifunction phased-array radar and ship-to-air missiles will be developed in South Korea. Hanwha Ocean will convert the completed basic design into technical documentation and production drawings before building and testing the vessel. The ship will also incorporate digital-twin technology, layered counter-drone defences and an integrated wired and wireless communications network using 5G technology.
Hanwha Ocean was selected as preferred bidder on 1 July after defeating HD Hyundai Heavy Industries by 0.59 points. The competition and related disputes delayed the programme by more than two years. Orders for the remaining five destroyers are expected to begin in late 2028, while the procurement agency continues to review the structure of the follow-on construction programme.
Hanwha Ocean, formerly Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, was acquired by Hanwha Group and relaunched under its current name in May 2023. Its operations cover commercial shipbuilding, offshore facilities and naval vessels.
