Hanwha Systems 將本土研發智能整合式駕駛台系統

A mockup of Hanwha Systems' cockpit-style integrated bridge system. (Photo: Hanwha Systems)

Hanwha Systems is pursuing the domestic development of cockpit-style integrated bridge system (IBS) technology.

Hanwha Systems announced on Nov. 2 that it had won a project led by the Korea Research Institute for Defense Technology Planning and Advancement to develop smart bridge operation technology incorporating a cockpit system. The project will run through 2030. The company will be responsible for both manufacturing the consoles that serve as the hardware for the cockpit-style IBS and developing the integrated operating software.

The cockpit-style IBS integrates navigation, combat, propulsion and control functions previously handled by multiple crew members on the bridge, in the combat information center and in the engine control room, enabling just two operators to perform these tasks. The system incorporates an IBS, combat management system (CMS), engine control system (ECS) and unmanned system (UMS) required for vessel automation and unmanned operations.

The system will incorporate maritime situational awareness visualization technology and data-driven collision avoidance technology to ensure safe navigation. Using artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), the vessel will calculate collision risks and recommend avoidance routes. Conventional analog control panels will be fully digitized to improve space utilization, while ergonomic design guidelines will be applied to reduce operator fatigue.

Cockpit-style IBS technology is currently possessed by only a handful of advanced countries, including the United States and Italy. By enabling navigation and mission execution with minimal personnel, it is drawing attention as a key technology for modernizing naval vessels amid population decline.