South Korea selects full-electric propulsion for KDDX destroyers

An artist's rendition of South Korea's future KDDX vessel. (Hanwha Ocean)

South Korea's future Korean Destroyer Next Generation (KDDX) vessels will be powered by a full-electric propulsion configuration centred around LM2500+G4 marine gas turbine engines.

In a media release issued on 1 September, GE Aerospace announced that it will supply 12 LM2500+G4 marine gas turbines for six KDDX destroyers.

Each vessel will be powered by two engines integrated into a full-electric propulsion arrangement.

The company said the configuration has been selected to provide the ships with improved fuel economy, operational flexibility, growth margins for future systems, and enhanced survivability.

GE Aerospace's statement appears to be the first public disclosure of both the gas turbine selected for the KDDX programme and the vessels' propulsion architecture.

Neither detail has been included in previous disclosures about the KDDX programme by South Korea's Defence Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).

Hanwha Aerospace will manufacture selected engine components as well as undertake engine assembly, testing, and in-country support activities, GE said.

The lightweight composite engine enclosure will meanwhile be produced in South Korea by Busan-based NRTEC.

DAPA announced on 31 July that it had signed a contract with Hanwha Ocean for the KDDX lead ship, marking the programme's transition into the detailed design and construction phase.

The agency said the lead vessel is scheduled for delivery to the Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN) in 2032 and described KDDX as a key element in efforts to strengthen the navy's task-force operational capabilities.

The programme was approved in 2018 and is intended to deliver a new class of destroyers positioned between the navy's KDX-II and KDX-III surface combatants.

The ships are expected to displace approximately 6,500 tonnes and undertake anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-submarine warfare missions.