By Kim Eun-jung

SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. defense unit of South Korea's Hanwha Group said Tuesday it has made a preliminary offer to acquire the U.S. business of Australian defense shipbuilder Austal as part of efforts to expand its presence in the U.S. market.

Hanwha Defense USA has made "a preliminary, non-binding offer to acquire Austal's U.S. business," spokesman James Hewitt said in a statement.

"Any deal will be contingent on due diligence that permits a thorough evaluation of Austal USA's operations and financials, including newly disclosed information," he said.

Austal said in a separate statement that Hanwha Defense USA, a subsidiary of Hanwha Aerospace Co., has offered between US$1.05 billion and $1.2 billion for Austal's U.S. entities and operations.

Headquartered in Australia, Austal is a global defense shipbuilder with major operations in the U.S. and supplies vessels to the U.S. Navy.

The latest move comes as Hanwha has expanded its stake in Austal to 19.9 percent after receiving approval from the Australian government to increase its holdings in the shipbuilder.

The proposed acquisition of Austal's U.S. operations is the latest step in Hanwha's push to expand its U.S. shipbuilding presence, following its acquisition of Philly Shipyard in late 2024.

"Hanwha has made it a priority to significantly contribute to revitalizing American shipbuilding and is exploring a range of options to expand our footprint in the United States," the company said.

ejkim@yna.co.kr

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