Leonardo DRS signed a contract with Doosan Enerbility to provide the electric propulsion system for the Republic of Korea Navy’s KDDX destroyer program. Hanwha Ocean is building the lead ship.
According to DRS, the program is expected to deliver at least six destroyers and is South Korea’s first indigenously designed and built destroyer program. The company said KDDX is also expected to introduce the navy’s first full-electric-drive surface combatants.
DRS will supply an integrated electric power and propulsion solution featuring its 100-Series permanent magnet propulsion motors and matched variable-frequency drives. Doosan Enerbility and DRS will collaborate on the destroyer’s integrated power and propulsion system, which includes electrical and mechanical equipment ranging from the prime movers to the propellers.
DRS said the permanent magnet motor technology is designed to provide high torque density in a compact architecture, helping to reduce size and weight compared with conventional electric machines. The company said the system, paired with its variable-frequency drive, reduces engine-room footprint and supports greater flexibility in ship design. It is designed, built and delivered by DRS to meet applicable military requirements for power quality, shock and vibration, as well as Republic of Korea Navy operational requirements.
DRS previously provided hybrid electric drive systems for the 20 anti-submarine warfare frigates in the navy’s FFX Batch II, III and IV programs, the company said.
John Baylouny, president and chief executive officer of Leonardo DRS, said, “Our advanced electric-propulsion technologies are designed to deliver the power capacity, efficiency, reliability and adaptability required for advanced radars, advanced EW systems, directed energy systems, the charging of unmanned vehicles, the launch of drone swarms and other increasingly power-intensive mission capabilities.”
Jon Miller, senior vice president and general manager of naval power systems at Leonardo DRS, said, “For more than a decade our systems have supported Republic of Korea Navy FFX II/III/IV frigates, and we have demonstrated the ability to scale our electric-propulsion technology for the most demanding naval applications, including the Columbia-class submarine program.”
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