South Korea Receives New Submarine

The Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) has taken delivery of a new 3,000 tonne diesel submarine after its handover during a ceremony at the manufacturer’s shipyard in Ulsan. The ceremony was attended by military and government officials from nine countries, including Canada, Poland, Australia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, the Philippines, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

Built by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, the firm is one of eight countries capable of constructing a submarine of such tonnage, alongside Japan, India, China, Russia, France, the UK and the US.

The Shin Chae-Ho is the third and final submarine of the KSS III Batch 1 programme with six vertical launch tubes for submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM). The preceding two submarines in the class were built by fellow South Korean shipbuilder, Hanwha Ocean.

At 83.5 metres long, the submarine is operated by a crew of 50 and can make speeds of up to 20 knots. Furthermore, the vessel’s air-independent propulsion (AIP) allows the submarine to operate under the surface for weeks without snorkelling. According to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), the submarine will undergo up to eight months of operational tests before it can be deployed by the ROKN.-shp/adj/dl (Pix:HD HHI)