A model of Hanwha Ocean's XLUUV on display at MADEX 2023. (Janes/Ridzwan Rahmat)  Hanwha Ocean has unveiled the basic design of the extra-large unmanned underwater vehicle (XLUUV) it is developing for the Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN).  The design was showcased via a scale model unveiled at the MADEX 2023 exhibition held in Busan from 7 to 9 June. It was conceived pursuant to a contract signed between Hanwha Ocean and the South Korean government in April 2023.    The contract calls for basic design and development works for an XLUUV that...

The DRDO and SFC have conducted the flight test of the nuclear-capable Agni Prime missile from Dr Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha, India. The above picture shows the first test launch of the missile in June 2021. (DRDO via Press Information Bureau)  India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Strategic Forces Command (SFC) have conducted the flight test of a new-generation ballistic missile known as Agni Prime on 7 June, the Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) said.  According to a press release by the MoD on 8 J...

A new US government report cites concerns about installing hypersonic missile equipment on the USS   Zumwalt  .  (Janes/Michael Fabey)  Both US Navy (USN) vessel platforms lined up for the service's first Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) deployments face issues with scheduling and development, according to a US Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released on 8 June.    The first USN platform lined up for the CPS weapon system is the guided-missile destroyer, USS   Zumwalt  (DDG 1000)....

A model of HHI's latest CVX aircraft carrier design. (Janes/Mike Plunkett)  Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) displayed the latest iteration of its CVX aircraft carrier concept at the MADEX 2023 exhibition in Busan, which concludes on 9 June.  Previous versions of the CVX programme have featured short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) designs. However, HHI's new CVX design features a catapult-assisted take-off but arrested recovery (CATOBAR) capability enabling it to operate a wide range of naval fixed-wing aircraft.    An HHI represent...

LIG Nex1's new AUV and XLUUV are being developed to meet South Korea's mine-countermeasures requirements. (Janes/Chinmay Kohad)  LIG Nex1 displayed models of a new autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) and an extra-large unmanned underwater vehicle (XLUUV) at the MADEX 2023 exhibition in Busan, South Korea.  The company told Janes that the AUV, which is under development, has a length of 2 m and a diameter of 20 cm. It has an operational depth of 200 m and weighs 60 kg.  The AUV is being developed under a KRW12 billion (USD9.1 million) contract...

USS   Zumwalt  made its Exercise ‘Northern Edge' debut.  (US Navy)    The recently completed ‘Northern Edge 23-1' exercise in the Alaskan High North latitudes featured new wrinkles this year, including a newly expanded exercise area, the participation of US allies, and the debut of the guided-missile destroyer USS   Zumwalt  (DDG 1000) in those operations, US Navy (USN) officials confirmed.   ‘Northern Edge 23-1' took place from 4 May through 19 May across the Joint Pacific Alaskan Range Compl...

A model of the Joint Strike Ship, which has been developed by Hanwha Ocean in anticipation of a Republic of Korea Navy requirement for such a vessel. (Janes/Ridzwan Rahmat)  Hanwha Ocean has unveiled a Joint Strike Ship concept that was conceived for Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation (KMPR) requirements.    The concept was unveiled at the International Maritime Defense Industry Exhibition (MADEX) 2023 in Busan. It was conceived against the backdrop of a growing nuclear threat from North Korea, said a Hanwha Ocean representative w...

Japan's MoD has signed contracts with MHI to research hypersonic weapons and signed a contract with KHI to research new anti-ship missiles, an example of which is seen here on display at the DSEI Japan 2023 show. (Janes/Jon Grevatt)  Japan's Ministry of Defense (MoD) has signed contracts with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) to research and develop anti-ship and hypersonic missiles, according to an MoD press release on 6 June.  The MoD signed three contracts with MHI, which include hypersonic weapons resea...

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...

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...

ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems and Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders are expected to offer the Indian Navy a version of the Type 214 submarine for the service's P-75I programme for six AIP-capable submarines. (Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft)  India's Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL) and Germany's ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) have signed an agreement to support the construction in India of air-independent propulsion (AIP)-capable diesel-electric submarines (SSKs).  The deal is intended to position the two companies for the Indian Navy's stalled Pr...

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 w...

A screen capture of a video footage showing the merchant vessel, M/V   Gaja  , transiting northbound through the Bosphorus Strait from Saint-Nazaire, in western France, loaded with two FPB 98 MKI patrol boats, on 23 May.  (Yoruk Isik)  French shipbuilder OCEA has despatched the first two of 20 FPB 98 MKI patrol boats on order for the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.  Video imagery captured by a Turkish independent ship spotter showed the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged merchant cargo ship, M/V Gaja, transiting n...

A model of the South Korea-developed CIWS-II on display at MADEX 2023. (Janes/Ridzwan Rahmat)  The Republic of Korea Navy's (RoKN's) Ulsan-class Batch III frigates will be equipped with the indigenously developed ‘CIWS-II' close in weapon system (CIWS) but only from 2026.  This indicative timeline is almost two years later than originally planned as the RoKN has requested for slight design changes to be made to the CIWS-II, said an LIG Nex1 representative who spoke to Janes at the International Maritime Defense Industry Exhibition (MADEX) 20...

Walo  , the first of three OPV 58 S-type patrol boats on order for the Senegalese Navy, was delivered on 2 June.  (Piriou)  French shipbuilder Piriou formally handed over the first Walo (OPV 58 S)-class offshore patrol ship to the Senegalese Navy during a ceremony held at its facilities in Brittany, northwest France, on 2 June.  First-of-class Walo is one of three OPV 58 S patrol ships being built under a contract signed with the Ministry of the Armed Forces of Senegal in November 2019.  The lead ship started construction in Octo...

India's Varunastra torpedo has undergone ‘combat' test-firings, with the weapon fitted with a high-explosive warhead, for the first time. (Bharat Dynamics Limited)  The Indian Navy and the country's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) undertook the first ‘combat' test-firing of the Varunastra heavyweight torpedo on 5 June.  Janes understands that the torpedo was fired from a Kamorta (Project 28)-class anti-submarine warfare (ASW) corvette at an Under Water Target System (UWTS) laid by INS Jalashwa (ex-USS Trenton), a refurbis...

A graphic depiction of the Italian Navy's Near Future Submarine. (Fincantieri)  The Italian parliament has approved construction of the third Type 212 Near Future Submarine (NFS), marking another milestone in the programme.  The Italian Navy is planning to procure four boats under the NFS programme, which passed its critical design review in early 2023.  The first unit was laid down at Fincantieri's Muggiano shipyard in La Spezia in January 2022 and the boat is expected to be launched in 2026. Meanwhile, a steel-cutting ceremony for the secon...

Vice-President of the European Commission Josep Borrell formally handing over the first batch of EU-funded military assistance to Moldova on 31 May. (European Commission)  The Armed Forces of the Republic of Moldova has received its first batch of European Union (EU)-funded military equipment as part of the European Peace Facility (EPF), the EU announced on 31 May.  Over a 36-month period, Moldova will receive EUR40 million (USD42.87 million) worth of non-lethal military equipment in the areas pertaining to air surveillance, mobility and tran...

Australia has reduced its procurement of infantry fighting vehicles from 450 units to 129. Two platforms are competing for the tender – Rheinmetall's Lynx KF41 and, pictured above, Hanwha's Redback. (Hanwha Defense Australia)  Australia has announced the establishment of an external advisory panel (EAP) to oversee the implementation of the Defence Strategic Review (DSR) recommendations, which include a reorganisation of the Australian Army.  The EAP will provide an independent assessment of the DSR's progress biannually to the government, the...

KMW displayed a PULS MRL armed with a Kongsberg NSM at its site in Munich on the first day of Defence iQ's Future Artillery conference held in Munich from 29 May to 1 June. (Janes/Nicholas Fiorenza)  Krauss-Maffei Wegmann-Nexter Defense Systems (KNDS) is proposing that the Precise and Universal Launching System (PULS) multiple rocket launcher (MRL) be armed with Kongsberg's Naval Strike Missile (NSM). An Elbit Systems-Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) EuroPULS MRL mounted on an Iveco Trakker 8×8 chassis was displayed at KMW's site in Munich on the...