South Korea moves closer to KDDX stealth destroyer deal

South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) held a preliminary industry briefing on February 11 for the Korean Next-Generation Destroyer (KDDX) program, formally launching the contractor selection process for detailed design and construction of the lead ship.

The event took place at DAPA’s bidding office and was organized ahead of a formal tender notice expected in the first half of the year. According to DAPA, the briefing was intended to explain the overall program outline, performance requirements of the weapon system, and the projected acquisition schedule to companies seeking to participate.

The KDDX program will select a contractor through a competitive bidding process that includes a proposal evaluation phase. The chosen company will be responsible for detailed design and construction of the first vessel in the class.

During the session, DAPA shared expected timelines for the public announcement, contract award, and post-contract implementation schedule. Officials also conducted a question-and-answer session addressing issues raised by participating firms.

In a departure from standard practice, DAPA said it would allow pre-bid access to key program documents typically released only after a formal tender notice. By enabling advance review of major requirement documents, the agency said it aims to provide sufficient preparation time for bidders and support submission of more complete proposals.

DAPA stated that early information sharing is intended to enhance clarity of requirements, ensure procedural fairness, and improve confidence in the program’s execution.

Jeong Jae-jun, head of DAPA’s Force Improvement Program Bureau, said in a statement: “The Korean Next-Generation Destroyer (KDDX) is a high-level project that integrates mostly domestically produced weapon systems, and it is urgent to recover the delayed schedule so that no gap occurs in the Navy’s force operations.” He added, “Based on legality, we will select the contractor transparently and fairly, and through close cooperation among related agencies, we will put the KDDX program back on track.”

The KDDX is a next-generation stealth guided-missile destroyer under development for the Republic of Korea Navy.

The ship will feature the Korean Vertical Launching System (KVLS), enabling the launch of Hyunmoo-3C land-attack cruise missiles and SSM-700K anti-ship missiles. The program is structured to integrate largely domestically developed weapon systems and combat management technologies.

The KDDX is intended to replace aging surface combatants and enhance the Navy’s air defense, anti-surface, and strike capabilities. The platform’s stealth-oriented design and indigenous systems reflect Seoul’s effort to expand domestic naval shipbuilding and combat systems integration capacity.

The preliminary briefing represents the first formal step toward contractor selection following schedule delays. DAPA acknowledged that recovering lost time is a priority to prevent capability gaps in naval force operations.