On July 31, Hanwha Ocean signed a main contract with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) for the detailed design and lead ship construction of the KDDX. The signing follows a month of detailed negotiations with DAPA and the Navy on technical specifications, terms, and pricing, after Hanwha Ocean was selected as the preferred negotiating partner on July 1. Under the contract, Hanwha Ocean will immediately begin detailed design and construction work, targeting the commissioning of the lead ship in 2032.

The KDDX program is a large-scale project to build six 7,000-ton-class destroyers using domestic technology. The government plans to commission all six vessels sequentially from 2032 to 2036, forming the task fleet that will serve as the core of the nation’s naval power. Notably, the lead ship will be equipped with nine types of key domestically developed systems, making it a concentrated showcase of Korea’s homegrown defense technology.

Hanwha Ocean will incorporate a broad range of advanced technologies to meet the demands of rapidly evolving modern warfare. In response to drone threats confirmed in recent conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, the company plans to build a “multi-layered defense system” and apply an “enhanced cyber defense system” to protect maritime operational networks from cyberattacks.

The shortage of military personnel resulting from a declining population will also be addressed through technology. Hanwha Ocean will design a warship capable of maximizing combat effectiveness with a smaller crew by incorporating “manpower-reduction automation technology” and a “manned-unmanned teaming combat system.”

An official from Hanwha Ocean’s Special Vessel Division said, “We will spare no effort to ensure that the KDDX not only leads the Republic of Korea Navy’s naval power but also sets the standard in the global market as a representative model of K-naval defense.”