Seoul: Hanwha Group said Wednesday it has forged partnerships with American firms for naval and rocket systems development collaborations at a major U.S. defense trade show in Maryland.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the South Korean conglomerate has set up a 148-square-meter booth at the Sea-Air-Space 2026 exposition held in National Harbor, with key affiliates taking part in the exhibition since Monday (U.S. time).

At the event, Hanwha Ocean signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Leidos Gibbs and Cox to strengthen shipbuilding capabilities for the U.S. Navy and allied forces. The U.S. firm has established a strong presence in naval architecture and design, having designed more than 70 percent of U.S. Navy surface vessels since World War II. The two companies plan to cooperate on vessel designs optimized for U.S. Navy requirements, joint development of next-generation ships and building supply chains leveraging production bases in both South Korea and the United States.

Separately, Hanwha Aerospace Co. said it signed an MOU with Northrop Grumman to collaborate on developing a first-stage solid-fuel rocket for the AReS missile system. AReS, which stands for advanced reactive strike, is a ground-launched long-range missile system under development by Northrop Grumman that requires advanced propulsion for rapid maneuvering and launch. Hanwha Aerospace will participate in the early-stage development of the system's first-stage propulsion unit, the company said.