HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and Hanwha Ocean, which have entered the worldwide naval vessel market growth, are actually set to compete over Thailand’s 3 trillion gained frigate challenge. Each corporations have actively engaged in gross sales efforts, visiting the area forward of bidding to showcase their export frigate capabilities. With the worldwide army buildup development anticipated to drive speedy growth within the naval vessel market, competitors between HD Hyundai and Hanwha for abroad market dominance is intensifying.
Based on trade sources on Nov. 11, Hanwha Ocean unveiled its 4,000-ton export frigate OCEAN-40F on the worldwide protection exhibition Protection & Safety (D&S 2025) held in Bangkok, Thailand on Nov. 10 (native time). That is the frigate mannequin the comapny has proposed for introduction to the Royal Thai Navy. The frigate options cutting-edge sensors and stealth know-how, enhancing fight and surveillance capabilities in comparison with earlier fashions, and is provided with unmanned platform methods.
Hanwha Ocean additionally signed successive technical cooperation agreements with international corporations for fight methods for Thai export frigates on the identical day. It signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with French shipbuilder Naval Group to put in Naval’s built-in fight administration system (CMS) on the frigate. The corporate will cooperate with MBDA, Europe’s largest missile producer, on naval missile system integration for frigates. Moreover, it signed an MOU with British protection firm Cohort to collaborate throughout complete protection capabilities together with sonar methods, torpedo launchers, surveillance and strike management methods, and communication administration.
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries can be focusing efforts on profitable Thailand’s frigate challenge. HD Hyundai Heavy Industries participated in D&S 2025 and unveiled three newest export frigates starting from 3,000 to 4,000 tons. Notably, the HDF-3200 has been delivered to the Philippine Navy and has confirmed its operational effectiveness and reliability. Furthermore, the HDF-4000 relies on the Chungnam-class (Ulsan-class Batch-III) mannequin, the newest frigate of the Republic of Korea Navy, for which HD Hyundai Heavy Industries holds the unique home supply file. HD Hyundai Heavy Industries reportedly met with Thai Navy officers in the course of the exhibition to emphasise the efficiency and capabilities of its export frigates.
The Thai Navy is pursuing a two-phase frigate introduction challenge to bolster getting older naval property and improve maritime safety capabilities. Thailand has determined to introduce 4 4,000-ton frigates from subsequent yr via 2027, initially approving a finances of 35 billion baht (roughly 1.58 trillion gained) for 2 frigates, with plans to safe further finances for the remaining two frigates. In 2018, Hanwha Ocean gained a contract for one frigate within the Thai Navy’s first-phase frigate introduction challenge.
The Thai Navy additionally plans to advertise cooperation between abroad shipbuilders and native shipyards via the frigate introduction challenge. Whereas abroad development is permitted for the preliminary two frigates, native development is being thought of as a situation for the remaining two vessels. Based on trade sources, the present Thailand frigate challenge contains not solely HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and Hanwha Ocean, but in addition Germany’s TKMS, UK’s Babcock, Spain’s Navantia, and Netherlands’ Damen. If home shipbuilders efficiently safe this challenge, Ok-shipbuilding’s place within the international naval vessel market is predicted to be additional solidified.
In the meantime, concerning the collection of contractors for the 7.6 trillion gained Korean Subsequent-Technology Destroyer (KDDX) challenge, the place HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and Hanwha Ocean have been engaged in a long-term competitors, the Protection Acquisition Program Administration has determined to finalize the bidding methodology by year-end.
DAPA has concluded via closing authorized evaluate and compilation of personal knowledgeable opinions that it’s applicable for a similar shipbuilder to conduct each fundamental and detailed design for secure vessel development. Accordingly, a plan the place HD Hyundai Heavy Industries handles detailed design and development of the primary vessel, whereas Hanwha Ocean handles development of the second vessel (an improved model of the primary), successfully pursuing the challenge as joint development, is predicted to be thought of.
