The South Korean Navy has awarded a contract to UK-based marine solutions provider Babcock Integrated Technology to equip the navy’s KSS-3 submarine with a weapons handling and launch (WHLS) system.

Under the contract, announced at this year’s Defence Systems & Equipment International event in London, the company will provide design services to integrate the WHLS based upon air turbine pump technology.

As part of the navy’s Korean submarine (KSS) programme a total of nine 3,000t KSS-III submarines are expected to be built in South Korea with indigenous technologies. The lead ship of the class is scheduled to be built in 2017.

Work will be carried out by the company in cooperation with the navy’s defence acquisition and programme administration, and the joint Daewoo / Hyundai submarine design team.