North Korea Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

gelgoog said:

The Russians could in theory do a propulsion system for the Admiral Grigorovich frigates today if necessary. They have their own M90FR and M70FRU2 engines with similar power to the Ukrainian ones. They would just need to design a new reduction gear.

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Theoretically yes, in practice it seems that the Russians have no intention of spending money to realize that COGAG propulsion system that must also include the design and construction from scratch of the relative reduction gear necessary for a single project 11356 ship.


Also because Russia in the meantime has chosen the more modern project 22350 - Gorshkov class 2 completed, 2 in the process of completion, another 4 under construction + 2 already under contract.
In addition there is talk of a derived version that is indicated as project 22350M with significantly increased dimensions, displacement and armament.

So, in my very personal opinion, the hull of the now ex "Admiral Kornilov" has three alternatives:
1) be sold to a country that can procure the complete original engine system and has good relations with Ukraine (India-Vietnam) and completed in Russia, hoping that the "Zorya-Mashproekt" workshops are still able to make them.

2) Sell the hull in its current state of construction which still cannot be considered a warship to a country today considered a friend (Iran-North Korea) which will then provide (if it can) to equip it with an engine system that can adapt to this ship which could be of the CODAD type all diesel (giving up high speed performance) or if they have the manufacturing capabilities or the availability of naval gas turbines a CODAG or even COGAG system (for this you need to have 2 types of turbines with different power) and design and build the reduction gear to connect the engines. These two countries have shown a lot of creativity and inventiveness in solving the problems that may arise in finding what the military sector needs, without forgetting that they have developed a military industry that can provide every element to possibly arm a ship the size of the "Kornilov"
Furthermore, the type of ship in terms of characteristics, size and displacement is suited to the needs that these two nations have declared they want to possess in the future.

3) last alternative and it could be the one to come, the hull of the former "Admiral Kornilov" will be sold for scrap and the oxyacetylene flame will transform it into recycled metal.....

but it would be a real sham

photo from a few years ago, hull of the former "Admiral Kornilov" launched and docked to make room in the shipyard.

What are the two other hulls?.

sheogorath said:

What are the two other hulls?.

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the hull on the left with some superstructures was supposed to be the "Tuman" third ship of the Neustrashimy class Project 11540, construction began 1990, in 1993, due to lack of funds, construction was stopped with a total state of technical readiness of approximately 47 %.

The hull in the center of the photo was supposed to be the "Novik" at the time of the new project 12441 "Thunder" the construction was interrupted in 2001 due to the abandonment of interest of the Russian Navy in this project when the construction was at 12%.
Later the Russian Navy drew up some projects to complete the construction of the ship as an experimental ship, and then as a training ship according to the revised project 12441U, and then the ship was renamed Borodino, but the construction was never restarted.
In the aftermath of that photo I posted, these two hulls were sent for scrap.
Below are the two hulls at the plants dedicated to their demolition just before the start of the dismemberment for the recovery of the metals

sahureka said:

the hull on the left with some superstructures was supposed to be the "Tuman" third ship of the Neustrashimy class Project 11540, construction began 1990, in 1993, due to lack of funds, construction was stopped with a total state of technical readiness of approximately 47 %.

The hull in the center of the photo was supposed to be the "Novik" at the time of the new project 12441 "Thunder" the construction was interrupted in 2001 due to the abandonment of interest of the Russian Navy in this project when the construction was at 12%.
Later the Russian Navy drew up some projects to complete the construction of the ship as an experimental ship, and then as a training ship according to the revised project 12441U, and then the ship was renamed Borodino, but the construction was never restarted.
In the aftermath of that photo I posted, these two hulls were sent for scrap.
Below are the two hulls at the plants dedicated to their demolition just before the start of the dismemberment for the recovery of the metals

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Ah, back when Russia tried to build Western style ships. Thanks

So technically there are two unfinished ship frames - a Neustrashimy-class and a Grigorovich-class - that could be transferred for North Korea to study and continue construction. I think they'd probably prefer the Grigorovich, since it's more or less based on the Krivak design, which they learned a thing or two about.

Of course, this is just a hypothesis — no one is sure what Kim Jong Un meant by “large warships” and whether the North Korean navy needs such large ships.

Valiant 1002 said:

So technically there are two unfinished ship frames - a Neustrashimy-class and a Grigorovich-class - that could be transferred for North Korea to study and continue construction. I think they'd probably prefer the Grigorovich, since it's more or less based on the Krivak design, which they learned a thing or two about.

Of course, this is just a hypothesis — no one is sure what Kim Jong Un meant by “large warships” and whether the North Korean navy needs such large ships.

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The hull of the Neustrashimy class was scrapped together with the hull of project 12441 "Thunder", in the last photo I published the two hulls were already in the place where they will then be cut to recover metal.
Therefore only the hull of a Grigorovich class -pr.11356 is available.

Yeah, but the question remains: did they need such a big ship?

Valiant 1002 said:

Yeah, but the question remains: did they need such a big ship?

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At the moment only Kim Jong-un can give an answer.

sheogorath said:

Ah, back when Russia tried to build Western style ships. Thanks

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Neither is western styled anymore than usual. Both bread and butter Russian designs.

Valiant 1002 said:

Yeah, but the question remains: did they need such a big ship?

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Bigger ships are basic demonstration of country's capability. Given the almost cute level of symmetry in parts of military build-up (see new SK I"C"BM) and DPRK HALE drones, Northern flex in surface construction is expected.

Then again, we do know that:
(1)DPRK pursues SSB and SSN(SSBN?) programs; those need all the same conditions as their Chinese and Russian counterparts to operate.
(2) Vessels with Korean goods are operating under significant risk of interception, which any gray hull can prevent.

So technically the need is there absolutely.
Plus, DPRK by now produces much of needed equipment domestically. There are still big holes, but not insurmountable ones.