Hanwha Aerospace Develops Vertical Launch System for Korean Aegis Destroyer

South Korea has completed the development of its next-generation vertical launch system, the KVLS-II, led by Hanwha Aerospace and backed by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).

DAPA announced on the 25th that it held a ceremony in Changwon marking the conclusion of the five-year project, which cost 71 billion won ($52 million). Officials from the Navy, the Agency for Defense Development, the Defense Agency for Technology and Quality, and other institutions attended the event.

The KVLS-II was developed after research leadership shifted from government agencies to the private sector, with Hanwha Aerospace spearheading the effort. DAPA said the approach demonstrated the feasibility of private-led defense technology development while maintaining cost and schedule discipline.

The new launch system is designed to handle higher temperatures and pressures generated by more powerful missiles. It features a standardized design allowing multiple weapon types to be deployed from a single cell, with the flexibility to mount ship-to-ship and other guided weapons as operational needs demand. A dual interconnection design ensures continued function even if one system fails.

Deployment is planned first on the KDX-III Batch-II King Jeongjo Aegis destroyer, commissioned at the end of last year, and later on the future KDDX-class destroyer.