Hanwha Ocean Joins Forces with Naval Group and MBDA for Thai Navy Frigate Deal

South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean made a major stride in its international defense outreach at the Defense & Security 2025 exhibition in Bangkok, Thailand. The company inked Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with three leading European defense firms — Naval Group, MBDA, and Cohort — marking a significant step toward its bid for the Royal Thai Navy’s (RTN) second-phase frigate acquisition program, expected in 2026.

Strengthening the OCEAN-40F Frigate Program

As part of the new MoUs, France’s Naval Group will provide its SETIS Combat Management System (CMS), while MBDA will deliver a range of naval missile systems for Hanwha Ocean’s OCEAN-40F design. The OCEAN-40F is the latest evolution of Hanwha’s export frigate lineup, specifically tailored to meet the operational needs of the Royal Thai Navy.

During the same event, Hanwha Ocean also signed an MoU with British defense company Cohort, covering a comprehensive package that includes sonar systems, torpedo launcher systems, surveillance, targeting and fire-control systems, as well as communications management.

This set of agreements demonstrates Hanwha’s growing willingness to integrate European technologies into its warship offerings, aiming to deliver a truly multi-domain combat platform capable of performing advanced maritime operations.

A Rare Partnership: SETIS on a Non-French Hull

It is relatively unusual for Naval Group to equip another shipbuilder’s vessel with its SETIS CMS. Traditionally reserved for Naval Group’s own designs, this collaboration underscores the flexibility and export-driven nature of the deal.

However, there is a historical precedent — the Royal Norwegian Navy’s Skjold-class corvettes, built by Kvaerner/Umoe Mandal, also employed a Naval Group (then DCNS) CMS system, the SENIT 2000.

According to defense industry sources, SETIS was chosen for Hanwha’s OCEAN-40F due to its compatibility with European missile systems, including MBDA’s VL Mica surface-to-air missiles, Simbad RC VSHORAD systems, and Exocet MM40 Block 3C anti-ship missiles. These weapons are already fully integrated with the SETIS ecosystem — unlike Hanwha Systems’ indigenous CMS, which would require extensive reconfiguration for such integration.

Hanwha Ocean’s Statement: “Game Changer at Sea”

In a statement released at the exhibition, Hanwha Ocean described its OCEAN-40F as the centerpiece of its naval portfolio under the theme “Game Changer at Sea – Unmatched Lethality, Seamless Combat Readiness.”

“This model, proposed for the Royal Thai Navy’s second frigate program, builds upon the legacy of the 2018 delivery. The upgraded design expands from 3,750 tons to 4,000 tons, providing enhanced blue-water operational capability beyond coastal defense,”
the company said in a press release.

The OCEAN-40F reflects Hanwha’s extensive experience from delivering the HTMS Bhumibol Adulyadej, a DW3000-class frigate commissioned by the Royal Thai Navy in 2018. The upgraded design enhances stealth characteristics, endurance, and multi-domain adaptability.

OCEAN-40F Frigate – Key Specifications

This configuration, featuring a proven European missile suite integrated through SETIS, gives the OCEAN-40F a strong balance of lethality, survivability, and situational awareness.

The design also incorporates low-RCS (Radar Cross Section) architecture, a flush-deck profile, and an optimized mast structure to minimize radar and infrared signatures — aligning with global trends in next-generation stealth frigate design.

Cohort Partnership: Expanding Undersea and Communication Capabilities

The MoU with Cohort further reinforces Hanwha’s effort to create a complete, ready-to-fight naval ecosystem. Cohort brings decades of British expertise in sonar and torpedo launch systems, combat data handling, and communications integration.

By including these systems, Hanwha aims to deliver a turnkey frigate that can operate seamlessly across surface, subsurface, and aerial domains, enhancing Thailand’s maritime surveillance and deterrence capabilities.

Competing for Thailand’s Second Frigate Program

Hanwha Ocean’s OCEAN-40F will compete against several major shipbuilders, including Navantia (Spain), HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (South Korea), and Turkey’s STM/TAIS consortium.

Thailand’s second-phase frigate program, projected for 2026, is expected to select one design offering improved blue-water endurance, advanced sensors, and multi-role combat flexibility.

Hanwha’s integration of European weaponry and combat systems, combined with Korean shipbuilding reliability, presents a compelling hybrid solution for the Thai Navy — balancing cost-effectiveness with top-tier capability.

A Step Toward Global Expansion

For Hanwha Ocean, these partnerships mark a turning point in its export strategy. Rather than focusing solely on indigenous technologies, the company is aligning itself with Western and European defense ecosystems, enhancing interoperability and widening its global market reach.

The inclusion of the SETIS CMS and MBDA missile suite is expected to strengthen not only its Thai proposal but also future export campaigns in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and beyond.

Hanwha Ocean’s signing of MoUs with Naval Group, MBDA, and Cohort at Defense & Security 2025 underscores a strategic evolution in South Korea’s naval export approach — one that blends Korean engineering, European combat systems, and multi-domain integration.

If selected by the Royal Thai Navy, the OCEAN-40F frigate could become a symbol of a new era in regional maritime partnerships — where cross-national collaboration defines the next generation of combat ships.

As the competition for Thailand’s 2026 frigate program intensifies, Hanwha’s combined package of European precision and Korean shipbuilding excellence may well offer the decisive advantage.