The Republic of Korea Navy has completed a 10-day sea trial for its first Ulsan-class Future Frigate eXperimental Batch-3 warship using Leonardo DRS’s hybrid electric drive propulsion system.
Leonardo DRS said on Monday that its technology supports the vessel’s anti-submarine warfare mission, with its advanced permanent magnet propulsion motors. The trials, which the service branch conducted in the Sea of Japan in August, demonstrated that the HED propulsion system meets performance requirements in capability, economy and safety, it added.
Five more shipsets for Korea’s FFX-III frigates will start production.
The trials followed the delivery of the last f eight shipsets for the Daegu-class FFX-II from HD Hyundai Heavy Industries.
According to Jon Miller, Leonardo DRS Naval Power Systems senior vice president and general manager, the completion of the testing phase attests to the company’s continued successful collaboration with the ROK Navy, HD HHI and Hyosung, which awarded the HED contract to DRS in 2014.
“I’m proud of our engineering team, who demonstrated superb expertise, technical skill, and professionalism to prove the system, operation and overall performance of the first Ulsan-class FFX-III frigate,” Miller said.