Expectations are high that the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI)'s power electronics and battery convergence capabilities will be combined with the Navy's actual operational data to increase the impact on the domestic shipbuilding and defense industry ecosystem.

On the 11th, the Korea Electric Power Research Institute signed a business agreement (MOU) for ‘next-generation ship electrification’ with the Navy’s power analysis test evaluation team at the Changwon headquarters.

The two organizations will expand the scope of their cooperation to include joint research on electric propulsion design and construction technology, testing of railgun and unmanned systems, exchange of related data and personnel, and joint hosting of academic events.

It is expected that this MOU will open the era of electrification of future warships.

First, the propulsion motor is powered by batteries and generators to minimize carbon and SOx emissions, and stealth performance is enhanced with low noise and low vibration, improving the ability to avoid submarine detection.

In addition, the design flexibility allows for a high degree of freedom in motor location, maximizing internal space utilization, and the agile steering performance is expected to be advantageous for close-range maneuvers due to faster acceleration and braking response compared to diesel engines.

In addition, electric weapons such as railguns and high-power lasers, which are future weapons, and ‘ It can be installed without installing an additional generator by sharing the 'power bus'.

In 2015, KERI established the world's third Land-Based Electric Test Station (LBTS), following the US and UK.

This facility is capable of testing 6MW propulsion motors, power converters, and storage systems in an environment identical to that of a real ship, and is considered a card that will significantly shorten the joint verification and certification period with the Navy.

Kim Nam-gyun, the president of KERI, emphasized, “Thanks to electrification, the survivability and operational radius of ships will be greatly expanded,” and “Through collaboration, we will kill three birds with one stone: shortening the design and construction period, reducing costs, and securing future power early.”

The Navy plans to launch specific projects, including railgun and unmanned underwater drone linkage tests, in the second half of this year.

Meanwhile, the US, UK, and Norwegian navies have already deployed electric propulsion destroyers and polar icebreakers. As the International Maritime Organization (IMO) strengthens carbon regulations, electric propulsion, which simultaneously satisfies power-intensive weapon systems and environmentally friendly requirements, is expected to become a ‘standard option’ for future naval vessels.