This year edition of MADEX gathers 120 defense companies from seven nations participating in the biennial naval defense show. During the show, Hanwha Defense shed light a new variant of its vertical launch system, dubbed KVLS-II.
Jointly developed by the state-funded Agency for Defense Development (ADD) and Hanwha Defense, the legacy KVLS is South Korean Navy’s standard vertical launch system for holding and firing different types of guided weapons, including anti-submarine, anti-air, and anti-surface missiles.
Operational with the Navy’s guided missile KDX destroyers, including the Sejong-the Great-class known as KDX-III and newer Daegu-class (FFX) frigates, the KVLS features a lower radar cross-section as it is installed under the deck, compared to older launching systems fed from behind by a magazine below the main deck.
An upgraded variant of the KVLS, the KVLS-II is being developed by Hanwha Defense itself. The KVLS-II keeps the original VLS and hot launch configuration, as well as hazard monitoring and damage control system.
The new system is to grow in size and capable of launching newly-developed guided missiles such as landing attack missile, ballistic missiles and anti-ship missiles.
In particular, the KVLS-II is to be fitted with much more improved payload capacity and heat-resistant capability to help naval platforms conduct precision strikes from longer distances.
A complete system will comprise a maximum of six modules of four missiles, for a 8×8 configuration for the KVLS. While less wide and large that the first version, the KVLS-II is more than 2 meters higher. The KVLS-II launcher empty weight was not disclosed.
KVLS-II is set to be fitted aboard the future KDDX and KDX III Batch 2 destroyers of the ROK Navy.
