Navys Patrol Craft Project Hits Snag
By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter
The Navy's patrol-craft building program is expected to be delayed due to a feud between the arms agency and shipbuilders, defense sources said Thursday.
The nation's three major shipbuilding manufacturers _ Hyundai Heavy Industries, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering and Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction _ recently filed a complaint with the government over the Defense Acquisition Program Administration's move to include STX Shipbuilding in the project codenamed PKX ``belatedly.''
The three firms were designated by the Ministry of National Defense as providers for the high-speed patrol boat project in 2005 after competition with other businesses.
They pledged to conduct administrative litigation against the DAPA once the agency invited STC into the program, raising suspicion that the weapons agency might be lobbied by STC.
``The average operational rates of the three firms' military shipbuilding sectors are between 20 and 30 percent,'' a Hyundai official said, asking not to be identified. ``STC's participation in the program will make the situation worse. Prior to that, we can't accept DAPA's reversal of the government decision in 2005.''
Under the PKX project worth $476 million, the three shipbuilders are to develop 42 advanced patrol ships, including nine 440-ton vessels armed with domestically-built guided missiles, by 2010.
Hanjin launched the first 440-ton stealthy patrol on June 28.
Hanjin officials complained that the planned contract over the lead ship, named Yoon Young-ha, a sailor killed during a 2002 gun battle with North Korea, has already been postponed due to the problem. The contract was planned in June.
``If DAPA is delaying the procurement project citing STC's possible participation in the program, the overall delivery of patrol ships is inevitably put on hold for a certain period of time,'' a Hanjin spokesman said.
DAPA officials argue that there is no legal problem in STC's bid as the three firms were designated only for the ship design, not ships themselves, in 2005.