Submarine Torpedoes Fired with Homegrown Technology... Hanwha Ocean Localizes Launch System After 10 Years

Co-developed with ADD, using water pressure in a Water Ram system

Precise speed control and safety to withstand high-pressure impacts

Breaking free from import dependence to cut costs and delivery times and boost export competitiveness

A key piece of equipment for launching torpedoes and other weapons from submarines has been developed using domestic technology.

Hanwha Ocean announced on November 1 that it had successfully developed a “Water Ram horizontal launch system,” which uses water pressure to push weapons out of a submarine, after 10 years of research with the Agency for Defense Development (ADD). This opens the way to replace a key submarine component previously dependent on foreign technology with domestically developed technology.

A horizontal launch system pushes torpedoes and other weapons from inside a submarine out into the sea. To launch weapons at great depths, a submarine must withstand the high water pressure outside. It must also control the shock transmitted to the submarine during launch. This makes the equipment's stability and precision of operation crucial.

Artist's rendering of a submarine launching a torpedo horizontally.

The Water Ram system developed by Hanwha Ocean uses water pressure to propel torpedoes and other projectiles. The core technology goes beyond simply pushing weapons out: it precisely controls the force generated during launch to ensure they are fired reliably at a set speed.

The system has also been made safer. Multiple layers of safety devices have been incorporated to prevent equipment malfunctions. It has the structural integrity and impact resistance needed to withstand high water pressure at great depths and the powerful shock generated during launch. Simplifying the equipment's structure has also made it easier to maintain and operate.

The benefits of localization are expected to be seen first in costs and delivery times, as it will reduce the expense and time required to import equipment from overseas. Hanwha Ocean has also developed launch-force analysis technology that enables the equipment to be designed for various types of submarines. This development has laid the groundwork for the development of equipment for future submarines.

Hanwha Ocean expects the system to strengthen its competitiveness in overseas markets as well. The ability to design and manufacture key submarine equipment using its own technology is expected to enhance the technological competitiveness of its export-oriented submarines.

Kim Geonho, head of Hanwha Ocean's Defense Technology Research Center and an executive director, stressed, "We will build on our accumulated technology and experience to improve the quality of key submarine equipment," adding, "We plan to continue advancing the technologies required for next-generation submarines."

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