HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and Peru’s SIMA shipyard have entered a strategic cooperation agreement to co-develop and build new submarines for the Peruvian Navy. Both parties expect to sign a comprehensive construction contract before the end of 2025, formalizing a partnership that deepens Peru’s naval modernization program. The submarines, expected to be assembled at Hyundai’s Ulsan yard with local workshare in Callao, will derive from the Korean firm’s HDS-1500 concept. This 1,500-ton diesel-electric class is designed for littoral and blue-water missions, offering advanced sonar, automation, and low-acoustic signatures. The project follows decades of reliance on Germany’s Type 209 boats, which have formed the backbone of Peru’s undersea fleet since the 1980s. By adopting HD Hyundai’s design, Peru seeks improved endurance, stealth, and weapons integration. The initiative is part of a wider Korea-Peru defense industrial collaboration encompassing surface combatants and logistics vessels. Analysts view the submarine partnership as a landmark shift in Latin America’s naval industry, reflecting increased South Korean engagement in global defense exports and providing Peru with a cost-effective path toward self-reliant maritime defense capabilities.
