HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, SK Oceanplant, and Hanwha Ocean are expected to compete for the next-generation FFX Batch-IV project, which aims to replace South Korea’s aging patrol vessels from the 1980s and 1990s. Hanwha Systems is projected to provide the engineering control system (ECS), which acts as the brain of these vessels.
According to industry sources, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) plans to hold a briefing on July 11 at the Gwacheon Government Complex for the construction of the first two FFX Batch-IV ships. DAPA is also focusing on the development of a domestic ECS system. The total investment in the FFX Batch-IV project is expected to reach approximately 3.25 trillion won by 2032.
The ECS provides network-based, integrated control and monitoring of naval vessels’ propulsion, power, damage control, and auxiliary systems, which were previously controlled separately. ECS is crucial for ensuring the operability, survivability, and stability of naval vessels. The ECS currently used in South Korean naval vessels are imported and vary by vessel type, limiting their support and upgrade capabilities. Additionally, with propulsion systems evolving from traditional mechanical to electric and hybrid types, there is an increasing need for a domestically developed ECS that can be applied to all types of vessels.
The first two ships of the FFX Batch-IV are expected to be similar in size, shape, and equipment to the FFG-III. The main differences will include four types of additional domestic weaponry and the domestic ECS.
Hanwha Systems is the only domestic defense company with ECS technology. Previously, Hanwha Systems completed a project to develop “common software for integrated control systems for ships” under the supervision of the Defense Rapid Acquisition Technology Research Institute (DRATRI), verifying its suitability for ship deployment. Hanwha Systems is also developing a system that integrates ECS with the integrated bridge system (IBS) and the combat management system (CMS).
