Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering will build a 7,000-ton Aegis destroyer for the Navy.

The company on Tuesday said it will launch construction next month after signing a contract with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration and will transfer the destroyer to the Navy by 2010.

The Navy will spend more than three trillion won by 2012 for three Aegis destroyers.

Hyundai Heavy Industries is building the first destroyer for deployment in late 2008. The second will be finished by 2010 and the third by 2012.

The first two destroyers will each be 166 meters long and 21 meters wide, and have combined fighting capabilities, guided missiles, long-range torpedo and five-inch guns. They will also carry two helicopters.