A 30-ton unmanned surface vessel, developed with the company’s own investment, was successfully launched near Gadeok Bridge in Busan early last month and has begun sea trials while operating between Busan and Jangmok Port in Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province, the company said Thursday.
Hanwha Systems said it is investing about 70 billion won ($46.5 million) to develop both the 30-ton vessel and a 140-ton unmanned surface vessel capable of combat missions, in line with the Navy’s push toward a maritime manned-unmanned teaming system known as Navy Sea GHOST.
The 30-ton vessel will be used as a key testbed through the end of 2027 to verify advanced AI-based autonomous navigation technology and an open architecture system, the company said.
Hanwha Systems said securing software architecture compatible with the U.S. Navy’s Unmanned Maritime Autonomy Architecture (UMAA) standard is essential for entering the global market.
The company said testing will focus on difficult operational conditions, including autonomous navigation in narrow and congested waterways, safe operations in high waves and strong winds, and long-range autonomous navigation over hundreds of kilometers.
The company plans to launch its 140-ton unmanned surface vessel later this year as it seeks to secure a position in the global market for maritime unmanned systems.
Shares of Hanwha Systems were trading at 65,400 won on the Korea Exchange on Thursday, up 500 won, or 0.8 percent.
“Hanwha Systems has built unmatched technological capabilities by developing unmanned surface vessels that have gone through strict defense-sector verification, including South Korea’s first unmanned surface vessel and participation in swarm USV development,” said Yoo Moon-ki, head of Hanwha Systems’ naval business division.
“We will expand the reach of South Korea’s maritime defense technology globally through Hanwha Systems’ unmanned surface vessels, which integrate global standards, advanced AI autonomous navigation technology and command-and-control technology,” he said.
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