Hanwha, HD Hyundai set for showdown at MADEX 2025
Shipbuiding rivals zero in on global maritime defense industry with cutting-edge solutions
Hanwha and HD Hyundai -- Korea's leading shipbuilders -- are going all out at the International Maritime Defense Industry Exhibition -- MADEX -- 2025 in Busan this week as they both seek to showcase their state-of-the-art maritime defense technologies and solutions with eyes set on wooing global clients.
This year's MADEX, a four-day trade show set to begin at Bexco convention center on Wednesday, is expected to gather 150 companies from 12 countries as well as representatives from naval forces of 30 nations and some 15,000 buyers in the defense industry.
Hanwha's three defense affiliates -- Hanwha Ocean, Hanwha Aerospace and Hanwha Systems -- will establish the conglomerate's joint exhibition booth together for the first time at the biannual event.
Hanwha plans to highlight how the three companies' latest technologies can create and offer future total maritime solutions with Hanwha Ocean boasting top notch surface vessels and submarines, Hanwha Systems' uncrewed combat management system and Hanwha Aerospace's lithium-ion energy storage systems that can boost the operational capabilities of a submarine.
Hanwha Ocean will display miniatures of two uncrewed warships, three surface vessels and three submarines, including the Korean Next-Generation Destroyer. The shipbuilder will unveil a combat uncrewed surface vessel for the first time.
'We will present our technologies and future vision based on the synergy between Hanwha's three defense companies at the MADEX 2025,' said a Hanwha official. 'Through Hanwha's capabilities that cover not only the world's top shipbuilding skills but also command and control systems, we will expand strategic cooperation with domestic and overseas customers even further.'
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries will join hands with LIG Nex1 to set up an exhibition booth that embodies the shape of a next-generation stealth warship. HD HHI will operate three themes for the exhibition: domestic, export and future warships.
For the export-warship-themed section, HD HHI will premiere a high-performance 6,500-tonne-class frigate developed to secure competitiveness in the global market in the future. The shipbuilder will underscore its advanced technologies by displaying a series of uncrewed vessels.
HD HHI will focus on strengthening its global competitiveness as it is expected to sign memorandums of understanding with Italian multinational defense firm Leonardo and French multinational defense company Thales to cooperate in developing export-bound warships. According to HD HHI, it will sign an MOU with the Portuguese Navy to co-develop small submarines on Thursday to seek a new market.
HD HHI also plans to bolster network with participating countries' defense industry officials and naval forces.
'At a time when the attention around Korea's maritime defense industry is larger than ever, the MADEX 2025 will be a stage where HD Hyundai Heavy Industries proves its unmatched warship technologies said Joo Won-ho, head of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries' special ship business unit.
'HD Hyundai Heavy Industries will continue to pursue the value of openness, convergence and expansion so that Korea's maritime defense industry can coexist and develop in the global market.'
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