A model of a CVX carrier / Courtesy of Republic of Korea Navy

By Kim Hyun-bin

Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), Hanwha Systems and LIG Nex1 are set to form an alliance for the development of weapon systems and radars to be equipped on the Korean CVX carrier project, according to company officials Monday.

Currently, HHI and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) are competing to construct the carrier for the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN).

The special ship division of HHI signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with LIG Nex1 for R&D on Korean aircraft carriers and combat systems to be mounted on the carriers as well as technical cooperation such as multi-function radar (MFR) and control radar. These are considered to be key technologies enhancing the operational capability of the carrier.

Also currently discussing technological cooperation with HHI is Hanwha Systems, which has strengths in combat management system (CMS) a weapon system for the integrated operation of various sensors, armaments and other communication and command systems mounted on a ship. It serves as the brain of the ship and is critical to achieve victory in naval battles.

"We plan to sign an MOU related to the carrier business soon," a Hanwha Systems official said. "Since the MOU is signed at the beginning of the project and before the bidding, it is impossible to predict how the bidding will go."

HHI is establishing a cooperative system with LIG Nex1 and Hanwha Systems to increase the possibility of winning the basic design orders. An industry analyst said whether a basic design order is won or not will also affect future ship construction contracts.

Last October, HHI also signed an MOU with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), the only aircraft manufacturing company in Korea, for cooperation in the basic design of CVX carriers. In August the same year, it signed a partnership with Babcock in the U.K. to win an order for basic design and construction.

In response, DSME joined hands with the Italian state-owned shipyard Fincantieri, which has experience in building a next-generation American frigate and two Italian light carriers. The two companies plan to start detailed design and construction this year.