Hanwha Ocean has developed a submarine launch system using domestically engineered water-ram technology, completing a development programme undertaken over approximately 10 years in cooperation with South Korea’s Agency for Defense Development (ADD).
The achievement, announced on 1 November 2026, covers a horizontal launch system used to deploy torpedoes and other weapons from a submerged submarine. The technology provides a domestic alternative to equipment previously sourced from overseas suppliers.
Alongside the launch equipment, Hanwha Ocean has developed analytical capabilities to evaluate the forces generated during weapon deployment. The company said this would enable engineers to adapt the equipment to different submarine configurations and support the development of related systems for future platforms.
The localisation is also expected to reduce dependence on imported components, potentially lowering procurement costs and shortening delivery lead times. However, the company has not disclosed quantified cost savings, confirmed procurement contracts or specific delivery schedules resulting from the development.
The system uses hydraulic power to generate pressurised water, which pushes torpedoes and other weapons through the submarine’s launch tubes and into the surrounding sea.
Hanwha Ocean has also developed precision control technology to regulate the force applied during the launch process. This allows the equipment to control weapon ejection at the required speed, according to the company.
The launch equipment incorporates several layers of safety mechanisms intended to prevent malfunctions and maintain operational reliability.
Its structural design accounts for the high external water pressure encountered when a launch tube’s muzzle door is opened at depth, as well as the mechanical shocks associated with weapon deployment.
Hanwha Ocean said the system also features a simplified configuration intended to improve accessibility for maintenance and ease of operation.
The development combines the launch mechanism, force-control technology, safety systems and launch-dynamics analysis within a domestically developed equipment package.
The company intends to build on the engineering capabilities gained from the programme to improve submarine equipment and develop technologies for next-generation submarines.
The announcement did not identify a submarine class selected to receive the system or provide a timetable for installation aboard an operational vessel. It also did not confirm that the system had entered operational service.
Hanwha Ocean’s wider submarine activities include the construction of the KSS-III class, one example being the Dosan Ahn Changho submarine’s visit to Canada in May 2026. The company has not stated that the newly developed water-ram system has been installed on that vessel.
The reported milestone concerns the successful domestic development of the launch equipment. Further integration or operational deployment milestones were not specified in the announcement.
