HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD HHI) will unveil a new lineup of advanced naval platforms, including export frigates and unmanned vessels at Madex 2025 in Busan from Wednesday to Saturday, aiming to cement its role in the global maritime defense market and strengthen ties with international partners.

Hosted biennially by the Republic of Korea Navy since 1999, Madex has grown into the country’s largest maritime defense exhibition.

This year’s edition will bring together over 150 companies from 12 countries. Over 30 naval delegations and around 15,000 professional buyers are expected to attend. At Madex, HD HHI will operate a 218-square-meter (2,346-square-foot) booth featuring three sections: domestic warships, export warships and future naval concepts.

The company will display the Jeongjo the Great-class Aegis destroyer, the Ulsan-class Batch III lead ship and its independently developed offshore patrol vessel in the domestic section to highlight the capabilities of the Korean Navy.

In the export section, HD HHI will debut a 6,500-ton frigate designed for blue-water operations, targeting export markets such as Saudi Arabia. The company will also exhibit export models already sold to the Philippines and Peru.

The future concepts section will showcase the evolved HCX-25 from HD HHI’s HCX series and a range of AI-integrated unmanned and hybrid vessels. These will include a mobile unmanned power control ship, a future unmanned power mothership and a combat unmanned surface vessel series. Through this, HD HHI aims to reinforce its role as a leader in developing manned-unmanned integrated maritime systems.

The Korean Navy in April awarded HD HHI a concept design contract for a multipurpose unmanned mothership. The company had previously completed similar design work for a light aircraft carrier and an unmanned command ship.

HD HHI also plans to sign memorandums of understanding with global defense firms Leonardo and Thales to cooperate on export ship development during the exhibition.

The company added that it intends to sign technology cooperation agreements (MOU) with Korea Aerospace Industries, LIG Nex1 and Posco. These agreements will cover the development of a multipurpose unmanned power mothership and new materials for next-generation hulls.

HD HHI will sign an MOU on Thursday with the Portuguese navy to jointly develop a small submarine, opening a new front in export markets.

HD Hyundai will also host a job fair for military veterans on the second floor of Bexco’s Exhibition Hall 1 on Thursday and Friday.

“We will do our best to recruit talented veterans and explore various ways to contribute to the military as a leading defense company,” an HD Hyundai official said.

The event will offer consultations with recruiters and feature a pop-up with recruitment-related events.

“Madex 2025 will serve as a stage to demonstrate HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ unrivaled shipbuilding capabilities,” said Joo Won-ho, head of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries' Special Ship Business Division. “We will continue to pursue openness, convergence and expansion to support the growth of K-maritime defense in the global market.”

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]