Hanwha Systems begins sea trials of 30-tonne AI-powered unmanned warship

Hanwha Systems has launched a 30-tonne unmanned surface vessel and started sea trials as it advances plans to build autonomous naval systems and enter the global unmanned maritime defence market. The South Korean defence company said the vessel, developed with its own funding, was launched near Busan in early June and has since begun trials between Busan and a port on Geoje.

The company is investing roughly 70 billion won of its own money to develop both a 30-tonne and a 140-tonne unmanned surface vessel capable of carrying out combat missions. The smaller craft will serve as a test platform through the end of 2027 to verify artificial-intelligence-based autonomous navigation and an open software architecture. A central goal is to meet the US Navy's standard framework for autonomous maritime systems, which lets unmanned platforms assess situations and carry out missions with minimal human involvement while working alongside other systems.

Having already completed autonomous-navigation demonstrations under domestic standards using technology from an earlier reconnaissance craft, the company is now testing compatibility with the American framework. The sea trials will assess the vessel's ability to navigate crowded, narrow waterways with limited room to turn, operate in high waves and strong winds, and carry out long-range autonomous missions over hundreds of kilometres. The company also plans to refine the system so it can detect obstacles and targets, distinguish friend from foe, and track targets during operations.

The firm said an unmanned surface vessel depends on integrating mission management, machinery control and autonomous navigation, and that meeting internationally recognised software standards is important for entering the global defence market. It intends to launch its 140-tonne unmanned surface vessel by the end of the year, describing the effort as extending the reach of the country's maritime defence technology.