Hyundai Heavy, Babcock join forces for Korea’s first aircraft carrier

Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. teamed up with British engineering company Babcock International to develop South Korea’s first aircraft carrier.

Hyundai Heavy said on Sept. 1 that it has formed a partnership with Babcock for the CVX project to build a 30,000-ton class light aircraft carrier. Hyundai Heavy and Babcock agreed to cooperate on the basic design and construction of the carrier as well as work together on winning the order. The two companies last year completed the conceptual design, the first step for vessel construction.

In June, Hyundai Heavy unveiled the latest model of the light aircraft carrier developed with Babcock. The model enhanced aircraft operational capabilities with a design of a ski jumping platform, while applying an integrated combat system using unmanned aircrafts and vessels.

South Korea’s Navy has been pushing the CVX as a core project that was expected to cost about 2 trillion won ($1.8 billion) in total. The Navy is scheduled to complete the project by 2033 with a plan to order the basic design next year. Hyundai Heavy is competing with Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. for the project.

“We will complete an optimal light aircraft carrier as the flagship of Korea to protect our territorial water through close cooperation between two companies with best technology in each filed of shipbuilding and defense,” said Ka Sam-hyun, CEO of Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering Co., Hyundai Heavy’s holding company.

Babcock is one of the world’s top defense companies with unrivaled technologies on designs and constructions of warships. The engineering firm, whose largest customer is Britain's Ministry of Defence, participated in the development of the country’s flagship Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers.

Write to Jung-hwan Hwang at jung@hankyung.com
Jongwoo Cheon edited this article.