Contract from DSME to Supply Optronic Masts for South Korea's New KSS-III Submarines

Following an international request for proposals, Sagem (Safran) has signed a contract with Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. Ltd (DSME) of South Korea, to supply the optronic surveillance masts for the country’s new submarines.

The selection of Sagem was made by a commission comprising members from the South Korean navy, DAPA (Defense Acquisition Program Administration), ADD (Agency for Defense Development) and DSME. The decisive factors in this decision were the best world-class competitiveness and performance level offered by Sagem’s optronic masts, especially in terms of image resolution and processing, and their easy integration in the ship’s combat suite.

This latest contract emphasizes the outstanding collaboration between South Korean industry and Sagem. Sagem’s new generation of optronic masts, which do not penetrate the thick hull, feature low-observability and radar stealth. In addition to the optronic (electro-optical) sensors from Sagem, they also include a signal intelligence system, and an infrared system for discreet communications.

The future optronic surveillance mast is derived from Sagem’s Series 30 masts already in production for the Scorpène class submarines built by French naval shipyard DCNS for international markets, and for the future Suffren class nuclear attack submarines in the French navy’s Barracuda program.

Sagem develops and produces for its partners a complete family of optronic masts and attack periscopes, electronic warfare equipment and radars for submarines.

The masts will be integrated at Sagem’s plant in Dijon and the infrared imagers in Poitiers.