South Korean Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

KDX III 4 to be built


On 18 March 2002, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress of the possible sale of three Lockheed Martin Aegis air defence systems, worth a potential US$1.2 billion, to arm the Republic of Korea Navy’s three new KDX-III destroyers. Aegis is very important for KDX-III. The ROKN is made a very strong effort to purchase the Aegis Combat System (baseline 7 phase 1) for KDX-III. The destroyer has been referred to as Aegis Destroyer, after Lockheed Martin's Aegis system. However, this is just one of the possible combat system solutions.

On 25 July 2002 Lockheed Martin won the contract to provide South Korea's navy with weapons control systems for three destroyers, beating European rival Thales SA. The Korean Navy selected the U.S Navy and Lockheed Martin to provide the Aegis Weapon System for its KDX-III Destroyer Program in late 2002. The three KDX-III Destroyers, equipped with the Aegis Weapon System, will allow the Korean Navy to successfully defend the maritime areas around the Korean Peninsula from air, surface and underwater threats. In addition, the KDX-III Destroyers will increase interoperability with the U.S. Navy.



KDX II

LPX

nice, we are going to have some really nice DDGs in Asia.

The S. Korean LPX has an aircraft just aft of the island. The pic just does not show it. Did you guys know that S. Korea wants to build 4 of these LPX type ships?

Another thing when this first LPX was launched I found a blog about S.Korea and the writer of that blog tried to claim that the LPX was almost as large as a USN LHD. The ship weighs in at 17,000 tons..I think. a USN LHD is 40,000.

More on the S. Korean LPX..Did you know the S. Koreans dileberatly named the ship after a disputed island dispite Japanese protest.



Korea's Dokdo Class Landing Ships

The Dokdo being Launched
Source: Korean Navy

Construction Appears To Be Well Advanced
Source: Korean Navy

BUSAN, South Korea - The Korean Navy launched the KNS Dokdo July 12, the first of three LPD class ships. The new ships are the largest in the South Korean Navy, having a length of 656 feet and a beam of 101 feet. They will displace roughly 14,000 tons standard (18,000 full load) and will have a troop lift of 700 troops, 10 CH-60 helicopters, seven amphibious vehicles, six tanks and two small landing boats. By the year 2020, the ROK Navy plans to deploy two or three rapid response fleets, each comprising of 1 Dokdo class, 1 KDX-III, 2~3 KDX-II, and possibly a number of FFX frigates and one or two AIP submarines...(click the link above for more info)...

Do you guys notice the RAM on top of the KD2 destroyer.
This ship has 32 Mk 41 VLS launchers carrying standard 2 Sams as well as 8 Harpoons.

New Subs for Korea
11/7/2000



South Korea has opted for Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft GmbH's (HDW) U214 diesel powered submarine for its next tranche of three boats to be delivered before the end of 2009. A Defence Ministry spokesman said the German design was superior to the Scorpene design submitted by France's DCNI shipbuilder. "Our evaluation showed that the German model excelled its French rival in terms of price and logistics support,'' he said.

HDW has already been involved in South Korea's submarine building programme. Daewwoo Heavy Industries is constructing nine of the German firm's U209 design under license. The Type 214 will have an increased diving depth of over 400 metres, because of improvements in the pressure hull materials. Performance of the AIP system has been increased with two Siemens PEM fuel cells which produce 120 kW per module and will give the submarine an underwater endurance of two weeks. The hull shape has been optimised for hydrodynamic and stealth characteristics and a low noise propeller developed that combine to decrease the submarine's acoustic signature.

yeah, that German sub is very nice. Powered by fuel cells, super quiet.

South Korea has a very potent Navy!

nice...they should ally with china too take down the kaigun