Hanwha Systems to develop extra-large UUV platform technology

Hanwha Systems Co., the defense and air mobility unit of Hanwha Group, will develop technology that will pave the way for the development of Korea-made extra-large unmanned underwater vehicles (XLUUVs).

The company announced on Friday that it has signed a 25 billion won ($19 million) contract with Korea’s Agency for Defense Development, the country’s national agency for research and development in defense technology, to build a long-range XLUUV prototype by August 2027.

Under the term, the company will develop the platform technology fundamental to building a mission reconfigurable unmanned underwater vehicle (MRUUV) system that the South Korean Navy can use for undersea missions.

The technology is expected to lead to the development of Korea’s long-range XLUUV for reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare.

FOR FUTURE WARFARE

UUV is a modular vehicle that autonomously navigates underwater to detect and deploy mines. Extra-large UUV can also carry a variety of payloads.

Many countries, including the US and China, compete to build extra-large uncrewed undersea vehicles, which are considered a next-generation weapon system for future warfare.

In July, North Korea, which is technically at war with South Korea seven decades after their fighting ended with the signing of an armistice deal, unveiled its underwater nuclear attack drone, Haeil, at a military parade.

Unmanned undersea vehicles are called by different names, such as unmanned underwater drones, autonomous undersea vehicles or underwater remotely operated vehicles.

Hanwha Systems has teamed up with its shipbuilding sibling Hanwha Ocean Co. in a consortium for the project.

Write to Mi-Sun Kang at misunny@hankyung.com

Sookyung Seo edited this article.