Hanwha Ocean Debuts Dual-Use Vessel for Drone and Strike Roles
24th April 2026
Hanwha Ocean and Leidos Gibbs & Cox are designing a high-capacity vessel capable of carrying up to half a brigade combat team and conducting drone mothership or arsenal ship roles ahead of the company’s plans to expand its American operations.
The South Korean defense firm presented the Global Fast Sealift during their debut at Sea-Air-Space (SAS) 2026. On the surface, the 31,000-ton vessel appears to be a civilian transport vessel with its large container and vehicle storage capacity – amounting up to 800 containers and Car Equivalent Units according to a concept sheet. However, Hanwha and Leidos have also prepared the design to accommodate military missions in the event of conflict.
According to a Hanwha factsheet, the design allows for “optimization for high-capacity commercial shipping during peacetime and rapid military sealift during wartime, ensuring both economic and strategic value.”