South Korea’s HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD HHI) has signed a preliminary agreement with Peru’s state-owned Shipyard Marine Industrial Services (SIMA) to jointly design and construct submarines for the Peruvian Navy. The agreement, signed in Seoul, is expected to evolve into a formal contract by year-end. Construction will take place primarily at HD HHI’s Ulsan shipyard, with technology transfer and local participation through SIMA’s facilities in Callao. The deal builds on a previous memorandum signed earlier this year to co-develop a 1,500-ton class submarine based on Hyundai’s HDS-1500 design, intended to replace Peru’s aging Type 209 fleet. The existing fleet—six German-built boats, including two Type 209/1100s and four Type 209/1200s—has served for more than four decades. The new program aims to provide a modern diesel-electric platform optimized for coastal defense, surveillance, and regional deterrence. The partnership aligns with Peru’s broader naval modernization plan, which also includes cooperation with HD HHI on frigates, offshore patrol vessels, and landing support ships. Once finalized, the submarine deal will mark one of Latin America’s most significant undersea defense collaborations, strengthening Korea-Peru defense ties and bolstering regional maritime capabilities.
