FFX Batch 3 Shown By HHI, Builder Touts Industrial Expertise

HD HHI at the Indian Ocean Defence & Security Conference in Perth, Western Australia, emphasized their established track record delivering the FFX Batch 3 frigate-design to the Korean Navy (ROKN). In addition the builder put a significant focus on their industrial expertise delivering naval combatants both domestically and abroad.

The Hyundai-presentation at IODS 2024 stood in notable contrast to domestic rival Hanwha Ocean. Hanwha provided one of the most elaborate floor presentations at the event, focusing on both existing and proposed products. In contrast, HD HHI instead hosted a more confidential presence, their booth being fully enclosed. The shipyard in this context also provided Naval News with a brief on their current global activities and an overview on FFX Batch 3 as the latest frigate design in acquisition for the Korean Navy.

FFX Batch III Chungnam in context of SEA 3000

The Australian “Independent Review” designated both the FFX Batch 2, known in Korean Navy service as Daegu-class and the FFX Batch 3, or Chungnam-class, as “exemplars” together with Japanese Mogami, Spanish Alfa 3000 and German MEKO A-200. Therefore the Chungnam-class frigate is a candidate for the Australian SEA 3000-requirement buying to 11 general purpose combatants. Compared to Daegu the Chungnam-class represents a further evolution of the original Incheon-class frigate delivered to Korea under the wider FFX-effort.

The basic specifications for Chungnam are a length of 129 metres, a beam of 14.8 metres, a standard displacement of 3,500 tons and full load displacement of 4,300 tons. The ship has a reported crew of about 120, compared to 140 on the preceding Incheon- and Daegu-variants. In this context it is worth noting that the Philippine Navy’s Jose Rizal-class, a modified Incheon-design, features a complement of up to 110 personnel. The various figures illustrate a certain amount of slack in the baseline design depending on exact customer requirements.

Korean-made hardware a key attribute of FFX Batch 3

Armament on Chungnam caters to Korean Navy requirements for maximum use of indigenously developed technologies. The frigate carries a 16 cell-missile VLS of the K-VLS type. The primary air defence missile is K-SAAM, a short-range missile developed primarily to replace RIM-116 RAM on Korean Navy vessels. K-SAAM supports quad-packing for the K-VLS. The antiship missile system is the Korean SSM-700 C-Star, effectively an indigenous Harpoon-equivalent. Chungnam carries AShM in two quadruple box launchers ahead of the hangar. Guns carried include an American Mk 45 5 inch gun on the bow and the indigenously developed seven barreled 30 mm CIWS-II on the hangar.

Flexible propulsion and innovative sensor mast

The Chungnam-class, similarly to preceding Daegu, features combined diesel electric or gas turbine (CODLOG)-propulsion. This arrangement provides diesel-electric drive modes for low speed and noise-requirements, adding the gas turbine for burst and top speed. On both Daegu and Chungnam the diesel engines are MTU-models, whereas the gas turbine is a Rolls Royce MT30.

The so called I-Mast integrated sensor mast is arguably the standout feature on Chungnam. The Hanwha-developed mast carries a GaN-type active electronic array S-band radar via four fixed panels. The design as fielded on Chungnam further includes an infrared search & track (IRST) sensor. I-Mast also provides additional growth potential for adding an X-band radar in addition to various ESM-systems.

HHI export and general industrial expertise as key strengths

Aside from showing FFX Batch III itself, HHI emphasized their industrial capability. The builder additionally focused on current cooperation with two international partners. Hyundai expects to deliver the first Chungnam-class frigate to the Korean Navy in December this year. K. S. Woo, senior vice president of HD HHI, highlighted the four year-delivery timeframe from signing contracts to delivery of Chungnam to the Korean Navy. Woo also underscored that delivery to an export customer could be achieved in as little as 40 months. The HHI official emphasized that the company was prepared to meet whatever delivery requirement a notional customer would set.

HHI is currently in the process of executing a significant acquisition program for the Philippine Navy. The PN has already acquired two Jose Rizal-class frigates. In addition the Philippines will procure two corvettes and six offshore patrol vessels from HD HHI. The Korean builder has also recently won a naval contract in Peru. Under the agreement HHI will provide support for the local production of one frigate, one OPV and two landing crafts. The executing partner is Peruvian state-owned Servicios Industriales de la Marina (SIMA). The Peruvian agreement may serve as a precedent for HHI cooperating with an Australian entity in support of SEA 3000.

Check out our video interview with HD HHI at IODS 2024: