# Defense & Security 2025: Hanwha Ocean Prepares Bid for New Thai Frigate Requirement

November 11, 2025 (Bangkok, Thailand) – South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean is positioning itself to compete for the Royal Thai Navy’s (RTN) second-phase frigate acquisition program. At the Defense & Security 2025 exhibition in Bangkok, Hanwha displayed a scale model of its proposed new frigate – the Ocean‑40F – and revealed important details about its design and firepower.

According to Hanwha Ocean, the Ocean-40F is a larger and more potent evolution of the Bhumibol Adulyadej-class frigate that it previously delivered to the Thai navy in 2018. The new design measures 124 meters in length and displaces about 4,000 tonnes, compared to the earlier ship’s 3,750 tonnes. The ship’s crew complement is also increased, with more than 145 personnel projected.

Firepower and Systems

Hanwha Ocean’s frigate proposal comes with a robust weapons fit:

• Two Exocet MM40 Block 3C anti-ship missiles.

• A 16-cell Vertical Launch System (VLS) for MBDA’s VL‑MICA surface-to-air missiles.

• SIMBAD RC launchers (Mistral-based) for short-range air defence.

• A 76 mm main gun and 30 mm remote weapon stations for multi-role surface and asymmetric threats.

The design also emphasizes stealth and survivability: angled hull and superstructure surfaces for lower radar signature, enclosed radar mast, infrared suppression via special coatings, a degaussing system for magnetic stealth, and a quieter propeller design.

Underwater, the Ocean‑40F is equipped with a layered sonar suite, including hull-mounted sonar, a towed array, and an intercept sonar to detect combat divers or small underwater vehicles. The ship supports torpedoes and acoustic decoys for underwater defence.

Strategic Partnerships

To strengthen its bid, Hanwha Ocean signed several MOUs at the Defense & Security 2025 event:

• With Naval Group (France) to provide its SETIS combat management system.

• With MBDA (Europe) to integrate their missile systems.

• With Cohort plc (UK), covering naval defence systems including sonar, fire-control, targeting, torpedo launchers, and communication systems.

These collaborations are aimed at delivering a “future-proof” frigate with modular architecture and advanced lethality to meet the RTN’s evolving requirements.

Strategic Implications

Defense observers see Hanwha’s bid as part of its long-term strategy to deepen its naval export footprint, particularly in Southeast Asia. For Thailand, the Ocean‑40F represents a step up in capability: bigger, more lethal, and more versatile than its first-generation frigate.

If selected, the new frigate could bolster Thailand’s presence in both the Gulf of Thailand and Andaman Sea, strengthening its blue-water capabilities. Beyond sales, the MOUs potentially pave the way for technology transfer, local shipbuilding, and sustained cooperation.

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About Hanwha Ocean

Hanwha Ocean, part of the Hanwha Group, specializes in naval and marine engineering. Having previously delivered the HTMS *Bhumibol Adulyadej* to the Royal Thai Navy, it is now seeking to expand its role as a long-term maritime partner.