South Korean shipbuilding giant Hanwha Ocean, formerly DSME, has signed a contract to build two next-generation Ulsan-class Batch-III frigates for the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN).
As informed, the company signed a deal worth KRW 790 billion ($600 million) with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).
The construction project concluded this time is the final project of the Ulsan-class Batch-III plan to replace the Republic of Korea Navy’s aging patrol ships and frigates. Hanwha Ocean was selected as the preferred bidder for the Ulsan-class Batch-III fifth and sixth shipbuilding project last July.
The Ulsan-class Batch-III frigate is a 3,500-ton class, 130-meter-long ship that can travel up to 30 knots (55 km per hour). The vessel incorporates anti-aircraft and anti-submarine detection capabilities and hybrid propulsion that combines low- and medium-speed electric propulsion with gas turbine propulsion engines for high-speed sailing.
The fifth ship is scheduled to be delivered to the Republic of Korea Navy in December 2027, and the sixth frigate is slated for delivery to the Republic of Korea Navy around June 2028.
“The ship for which Hanwha Ocean received orders this time is the last ship of the Ulsan-class Batch-III project and is significant in that it will also play a leading role in the exploration and development of the follow-up frigate project to be developed in the future,” according to Hanwha Ocean.
Hanwha Ocean has contributed to strengthening the Republic of Korea’s naval power and independent defense capabilities by producing high-quality ships. The company is the only shipbuilder that has built the entire lineup of the FFX-I, II, and III projects, which are domestic projects that introduced new combat concepts since 2000.