Hanwha Ocean to display combat ship, submarine at Bangkok exhibition

[Courtesy of Hanwha Ocean]

South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean Co. is hoping to expand its presence in the defense market in Asia, in addition to the United States and Europe, by presenting its latest combat ships and submarines in Thailand.

Hanwha Ocean announced Thursday that it will attend Defense & Security (D&S) 2023, a four-day exhibition that will take place in Bangkok from November 6.

D&S 2023 will feature 500 exhibitors from 50 countries, including those from Korea, the U.S., and Germany.

An increasing number of countries are eyeing the exhibition as the security needs of Southeast Asian countries are increasing amid recent territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

Hanwha Ocean will be the only Korean shipbuilder to take part in the event. It will display a 2,000-ton export-type combat ship, a 3,000-ton frigate, a 3,000-ton KSS-III submarine, and a future unmanned command and control ship.

The 3,000-ton frigate, which was exported to Thailand in 2019, was named Bhumibol Adulyadej after the former king of Thailand, according to Hanwha Ocean.

At the exhibition, the company will have discussions with officials from the Philippine Department of National Defense, as well as navy stakeholders from Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Malaysia.

“We are striving to expand our presence in the global maritime defense market by actively targeting Asian markets with high security needs,” a Hanwha Ocean official said. “We are looking to become a global maritime solution provider.”