Hanwha Systems has completed development of a 30-ton unmanned surface vessel and is moving into demonstration. The plan is to accelerate entry into the global maritime unmanned systems market by securing technology in advance.
Hanwha Systems said on the 9th that it successfully launched a 30-ton unmanned surface vessel that it invested in and developed on its own near the Gadeok Bridge in Busan in early last month. The unmanned surface vessel began full-scale sea trials, traveling between Busan and Jangmok Port in Geoje.
The Navy is pushing to transition to a "maritime manned-unmanned teaming combat system." In line with this, Hanwha Systems is developing 30-ton and 140-ton unmanned surface vessels (USVs) capable of performing combat missions through a self-funded investment of about 70 billion won.
The 30-ton unmanned surface vessel launched this time will be used as a key testbed to verify the completeness of advanced artificial intelligence (AI)-based autonomous navigation technology and an open architecture by the end of 2027.
An unmanned surface vessel is completed only when elements such as the mission management system, the integrated machinery control system, and advanced autonomous navigation technology interact comprehensively. In particular, to enter the global market, it is important to secure a software architecture that meets UMAA (Unmanned Maritime Autonomy Architecture), the U.S. Navy's standard infrastructure.
UMAA is a system blueprint that allows an unmanned system to assess situations and carry out missions on its own without human intervention, and it is an essential standard in the global defense market for swarming operations and interoperability with other weapons systems.
Hanwha Systems completed domestic-standard autonomous navigation demonstrations based on the autonomous navigation technology applied to the reconnaissance unmanned surface vessel "Haeryeong," and, on that basis, is beginning demonstrations to verify global-standard compatibility that meets the U.S. Navy's UMAA standard. It also plans to complete next-generation autonomous navigation technology that independently performs not only obstacle and target detection but also identification friend or foe and tracking by incorporating AI technology.
In particular, it will focus on high-difficulty verification to maximize effectiveness in real operational environments, including "autonomous navigation in narrow waterways" in areas where U-turns are difficult and ships are concentrated; "safety-assured autonomous navigation" under high wave heights and strong winds; and "long-range autonomous navigation" over hundreds of kilometers.
Hanwha Systems expects that this preemptive technology acquisition will serve as a decisive bridgehead for entering the global maritime unmanned systems market.
Following the launch of the 30-ton unmanned surface vessel, Hanwha Systems plans to launch a 140-ton unmanned surface vessel by the end of this year. Yoo Moon-gi, head of Hanwha Systems' maritime division, said, "Through Hanwha Systems' unmanned surface vessels that fully internalize global standards, advanced AI autonomous navigation technology, and command-and-control technology, we will expand the territory of South Korea's maritime defense technology to the world."