HD HHI held a groundbreaking (steel cutting) ceremony for the third next-generation Aegis destroyer, KDX-III Batch-II at its Ulsan headquarters today. The ceremony was attended by officials from the Korean Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) , the Defense Agency for Technology and Quality (DTAQ), and the Defense Rapid Acquisition Technology Research Institute (DRATRI).
Ship No. 3 will be the last of the three next-generation Aegis destroyers to be delivered to the Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy at the end of 2027.
The destroyer is the largest Jeongjo the Great-class among South Korea’s naval vessels, with a length of 170 meters, a width of 21 meters, and a light displacement of 8,200 tons (About 12,000 tons based on full load displacement), and can operate at a speed of up to 30 knots (about 55km/h). In addition, it will be equipped with two 1.7 MW propulsion motors, a fuel-saving auxiliary propulsion system, along with four gas turbine engines.
In particular, it is expected to play a key role in protecting Korea’s oceans by adding ballistic missile interception capabilities and improving anti-submarine operations compared to the existing first-generation Sejong the Great-class Aegis destroyer.
Its main weapons include ship-to-surface ballistic missile (Ship-Launched Ballistic Missile), long-range surface-to-air guided missile, long-range anti-submarine torpedoes, and light torpedoes. Additionally, it is equipped with Aegis combat systems (ACS), multi-function phase-array radars, EOTS (Electro Optical Tracking System), and integrated sonar systems.
HD HHI plans to deliver the first-in-class ship Jeongjo the Great to the ROK Navy next month, while the second ship will be delivered at the end of 2026.
The third and the last ‘KDX-III Batch-II’ Aegis destroyer is scheduled to be delivered to the Navy at the end of 2027.
The leading ship also demonstrated combat capabilities through live test-firing in April. It started sea trials in October 2023.
