South Korean shipbuilder HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) has signed a contract on December 19 with the Peruvian Navy and state-run shipyard SIMA for the joint development of a new submarine.
The agreement follows a letter of intent signed during the APEC Summit in November. The project, which focuses on submarine design, is scheduled to commence in January 2026 with a duration of 11 months.
HHI stated that this initiative is part of the Peruvian Government's strategy to modernise its naval forces and domestic shipbuilding industry.
The submarine will be designed to meet specific operational requirements for the Pacific coastline and underwater terrain exceeding 3,000 metres in depth.
HHI will integrate specialised equipment packages, weapons, and communication systems tailored to these environmental factors.
This contract builds upon a defence cooperation relationship established in April 2024, when HHI secured a contract to build four surface vessels for Peru.
The South Korean Ministry of National Defence and the Defence Acquisition Program Administration supported the agreement, which includes provisions for the potential transfer of decommissioned vessels.