[Militech] "Ghost Fleet" to Be Deployed at Sea for the First Time

On-site Coverage at Hanwha Systems’ Gumi Plant

USV Deployment for Real Operations Imminent This Year

Russian President Vladimir Putin forcibly annexed Crimea in 2014 and built a bridge—the Crimean Bridge. This bridge, stretching 12 miles (approximately 19.3 km), was called "Putin's pride," an embodiment of his geopolitical ambitions. That pride, however, crumbled in an instant. After the outbreak of war, Ukraine targeted the Crimean Bridge as its number one priority to cut off the Russian military’s key supply route. It did not require a vast arsenal. A single unmanned surface vessel (USV), costing $250,000 (362 million won), was enough. Its effectiveness surpassed even that of a Tomahawk cruise missile, which costs as much as $2 million (2.9 billion won). Once footage of the attack was released, countries around the world were astonished by the offensive power of USVs and accelerated their own development. The South Korean military is also set to deploy USV assets. To see the unmanned maritime technologies to be adopted by the Navy, we visited Hanwha Systems’ Gumi plant.

Hanwha Systems demonstrated various technologies including autonomous docking and autonomous navigation last May offshore Jangmok Port in Geoje, Gyeongnam, with the unmanned surface vehicle 'Sea GHOST'. Photo by Hanwha Systems

Upon entering the main building, large screens immediately displayed unmanned surface vessels and unmanned underwater vehicles. These are the core assets of future battlefields, used in anti-ship warfare, anti-submarine operations, and mine countermeasures. A company representative explained, "Hanwha Systems was the first in Korea to begin research on unmanned maritime systems," adding, "Since developing Korea’s first unmanned surface vessel, the Aragon 1, in 2011, we will now showcase 15 years of accumulated technology."

First Domestic USV to Be Delivered to a Government Agency

The unmanned surface vessel is called "Haeryeong (SEA GHOST)." Haeryeong is a USV designed for search and rescue as well as surveillance and reconnaissance missions in coastal areas. Development began in June 2021. After five years, the completion of Haeryeong’s development is now imminent. This is the first time a USV has undergone evaluation for delivery to a government agency. Haeryeong measures 12 meters in length and weighs 14 tons. It is equipped with Korea’s first diesel-hybrid engine. While it can reach a top speed of 40 knots (about 74 km/h), it can operate for up to 12 hours at a cruising speed of 20 knots. Haeryeong is equipped with four autonomous unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) with side scan sonar (SSS) capable of creating 3D maps even in murky waters, as well as one autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) with synthetic aperture sonar (SAS) for precise seafloor mapping. These technologies enable immediate location of sunken ships and missing persons on site.

Lee Pil-yeop, head of the unmanned systems team, explained, "If the SSS submersible is equivalent to standard definition (SD), the SAS submersible provides ultra-high definition (UHD) imagery," adding, "They will play a crucial role in shipwreck areas and maritime rescue operations."

Operates in Open Seas via Low Earth Orbit Communication Satellites

Haeryeong’s operational range is expanding, thanks to low Earth orbit communication satellites. Haeryeong will use low orbit satellites from Eutelsat OneWeb, one of the world’s top three satellite communication companies. Eutelsat OneWeb has launched a total of 634 low Earth orbit satellites. Unlike satellites used by civilians, Eutelsat OneWeb’s satellites are mainly used by military and government agencies, ensuring robust security. Seven low orbit satellites stand by 24 hours a day over the Korean Peninsula.

It autonomously navigates to avoid waves by prioritizing safe routes, detecting wave height and direction using wave measurement radar (Radar). Photo by Hanwha Systems

Hanwha Systems plans to complete pilot operations by the end of this month by connecting the developed terminals and gateways. The gateway is in charge of security technology between the satellite and the satellite communication terminal. With low Earth orbit satellites, Haeryeong can be operated and controlled even in distant seas, with no security concerns. The data transmission speed is also outstanding. Using two channels, it can transmit full high-definition (FHD) video and data via high-quality streaming at 100 Mbps.

Incorporation of New Technologies: Autonomous Docking and Wave Avoidance Navigation

Stability has also been enhanced. Two "eyes" have been installed: lidar for autonomous docking and wave measurement radar. This allows Haeryeong to dock and undock automatically at ports—comparable to automatic parking in cars. This technology was already validated in 2023 at the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology’s South Sea Research Institute. Wave measurement radar has also improved navigational stability, detecting the height and direction of waves to always seek the safest route. As a result, "autonomous wave avoidance navigation" technology has become possible.

The South Korean military is expediting the introduction of USVs equipped with both reconnaissance and combat capabilities. In 2022, the Navy announced the "Navy Sea GHOST" as part of the comprehensive development plan for manned-unmanned teaming systems. This is due to a shortage of personnel for border operations, such as countering North Korean hovercraft infiltration and illegal entry via the coastline.

Hanwha Systems is preparing for mass production of unmanned maritime systems. That is why it has expanded its production base to a new facility covering 89,000 square meters (approximately 27,000 pyeong). Inside the factory, the corridors alone exceed 150 meters in length—double the size of the previous operation. The third floor is entirely dedicated to testing maritime combat systems. The cockpit-type integrated bridge system (IBS) was also on display. The bridge, previously linear, has been redesigned to resemble an aircraft cockpit, with the pilot and co-pilot sitting side by side. This allows the bridge system, which previously required nine or more operators, to be run by just two people.

Reduced Crew Cockpits to Be Applied Starting with Ulsan-class Frigate Batch-IV

This system will be applied starting with the Ulsan-class frigate Batch-IV, scheduled for deployment to the Korean Navy in 2029. Sitting in the cockpit, a single pad mounted on the armrest allows control of communications, broadcasting, and anti-ship broadcasting. Virtual information about merchant ships appears on the front windshield—similar to a head-up display (HUD) in automobiles. At a glance, the operator can see the vessel’s information, identification number, distance, direction, and speed.

The combat management system (CMS) for warships is also evolving. Over more than 20 years of development since 2000, the CMS has been localized. Hanwha Systems has supplied CMS to over 90 naval vessels in Korea. Exports are also robust. In the Philippines alone, CMS has been exported for 13 ships, including 2,600-ton frigates, 3,200-ton patrol vessels, and 2,400-ton offshore patrol vessels.

Jo Gyuseong, head of the maritime systems team, said, "We are the only company in Korea to have the three elements: integrated engine control system (ECS), CMS, and integrated bridge system (IBS)," adding, "We plan to build a full product lineup of unmanned maritime systems, from small to large scale."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.