South Korea’s radical drone carrier concept enters race for maritime power projection
HCX-23 Plus could position country as potential ‘first mover’ for unmanned, drone-optimised navy assets, expert says
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries revealed a model of the 15,000-tonne HCX-23 Plus drone carrier in late May at the 2025 International Maritime Defence Industry Exhibition in the South Korean port city of Busan.
The concept hinted at how rapidly naval warfare is being redefined as defence strategists look for new ways to use uncrewed weapons.
Described by its designers as a “next-generation unmanned platform”, the radical, multi-deck ship, which lacks a traditional command island, revisits concepts abandoned by Japan and Britain after World War II.
“Strategically, this positions South Korea as a potential first mover in deploying a compact, drone-optimised maritime asset tailored to the demands of modern grey-zone and near-sea operations,” said Jihoon Yu, a retired naval commander and a research fellow at the Korea Institute for Defence Analyses.
“While high-risk, the HCX-23 Plus could represent a genuine leap in unmanned maritime power projection.