HHI's HCX-23 trimaran incorporates low-observability features, including reduced radar cross-sections and a retractable radar. (Janes/Chinmay Kohad)

Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) displayed a concept model of its new HCX-23 trimaran ship at the MADEX 2023 exhibition in Busan, South Korea.

The HCX-23 has a length of 130 m, a beam of 36 m, and a displacement of 6,000 tonnes. The ship features a 48 cell vertical launching system (VLS) on its foredeck, which can be fitted with a mix of surface-to-air or anti-surface missiles. At the front there is provision for one laser-based main gun.

The vessel incorporates low-observability features, including reduced radar cross-sections and a retractable radar. HHI said launch space for quadcopter drones, which can be used in standalone or swarm mode, is present behind the deck.

At the stern, the ship has a helipad for vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aircraft such as the Schiebel Camcopter S-100 or LIG Nex1's under-development Multi-Purpose Unmanned Helicopter (MPUH). The ship also has a stern door for launching unmanned underwater vehicles.

A model of the Ghost Commander concept on display at MADEX 2023. Hanwha Ocean has developed a 5,000-tonne variant of the concept in anticipation of a requirement for such a vessel from the South Korean government. (Janes/Ridzwan Rahmat)

Hanwha Ocean has unveiled its proposal for South Korea's anticipated command ship programme, which will play host to an array of unmanned aerial, surface, and underwater vehicles (UAVs, USVs, and UUVs).

The proposal, which the company calls the 5,000-tonne variant of the Ghost Commander, was made public for the first time at the MADEX 2023 exhibition in Busan.

Hanwha Ocean also displayed a 16,000-tonne variant of the Ghost Commander at the same exhibition. However, this model was built to showcase the shipbuilder's capabilities and was not done in response to any anticipated programmes, a company representative told Janes at the show.

The company is in the process of producing a scale model for the 5,000-tonne variant. Descriptions of the vessel provided to Janes by the company's representative indicate that it has an overall length of 130 m and a top speed of about 25 kt.

A model of Hanwha Ocean's 1400-class submarine, which is the basis for the proposal sent to the Philippine Navy, on display at MADEX 2023. (Janes/Ridzwan Rahmat)

Hanwha Ocean has upped the ante in its bid to supply the Philippine Navy with two diesel-electric submarines by offering selected combat systems found on South Korea's Dosan An Chang-ho(KSS-III)-class boats.

These include combat systems that will be exported from South Korea for the first time such as the LIG Nex1-supplied hull sonar found on the KSS-III submarine, the details of which are classified.

The matter was disclosed by a Hanwha Ocean representative who spoke to Janes at the MADEX 2023 exhibition in Busan, which is taking place from 7 to 9 June.

The company is positioning a derivative of its Hanwha Ocean 1400 (previously known as the DSME 1400) for the Philippine Navy's requirement of two boats.

The offer was sweetened as the company was informed that the budget to procure submarines has now been increased from PHP70 billion (USD1.24 billion) to PHP97 billion.