Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin-class destroyer

Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin-class destroyer
ROKS Yi SunSin (DDH-975)
Class overview
Builders:	Hyundai Heavy Industries Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering
Operators:	Republic of Korea Navy
Preceded by:	Gwanggaeto the Great class destroyer
Succeeded by:	Sejong the Great class destroyer
In commission:	2003–
Active:	6
General characteristics
Type:	Destroyer
Displacement:	4,500 tonnes (4,429 long tons) standard 5,520 tonnes (5,433 long tons) full load
Length:	150 m (492 ft 2 in)
Beam:	17.4 m (57 ft 1 in)
Draft:	9.5 m (31 ft 2 in)
Propulsion:	Combined diesel or gas
Speed:	29 knots (54 km/h; 33 mph)
Complement:	300
Aircraft carried:	2 × Super Lynx helicopters

Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin class destroyers (Hangul: 충무공 이순신급 구축함) are multipurpose destroyers of the Republic of Korea Navy. The lead ship of this class, ROKS Chungmugong Yi Sunsin, was launched in May 2002 and commissioned in December 2003. Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin class destroyers were the second class of ships to be produced in the Republic of Korea Navy's destroyer mass-production program named Korean Destroyer eXperimental, which paved the way for the navy to become a blue-water navy. Six ships were launched by Hyundai Heavy Industries and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering in four years.

Weapon Systems

The ship has a 32-cell strike-length Mk 41 VLS for SM-2 Block IIIA area-air defence missiles, one 21-round RAM inner-layer defence missile launcher, one 30 mm Goalkeeper close-in weapon system, one Mk 45 Mod 4 127 mm gun, eight Harpoon anti-ship missiles and two triple 324 mm anti-submarine torpedo tubes. Electronics suite includes one Raytheon AN/SPS-49(V)5 2D long-range radar (LRR), one Thales Nederland MW08 3D target indication radar (TIR), two Thales Nederland STIR240 fire-control radars with OT-134A Continuous Wave Illumination (CWI) transmitters, an SLQ-200(V)K SONATA electronic warfare system and a KDCOM-II combat management system which is derived from the Royal Navy Type 23 frigate's SSCS combat management system. BAE Systems WDS Mk 14 originally developed for the US Navy's New Threat Upgrade evaluates threats, prioritizes them, and engages them in order with SM-2.

On the 4th unit, ROKS Wang Geon, the 32-cell Mk 41 VLS is moved to the left and an indigenous VLS named K-VLS is installed on the right. The ship's forward part is spacious enough to take a 56-cell Mk 41 VLS.

Design

The KDX-II is part of a much larger build up program aimed at turning the ROKN into a blue-water navy. It is said to be the first stealthy major combatant in the ROKN and was designed to significantly increase the ROKN's capabilities.

Missiles

• VLS: 56
  • Mk 41 32 cell: SM-2 Block IIIA
  • K-VLS 24 cell:
    • 8 Hong Sang Eo (Red Shark) rocket-based torpedo (K-ASROC)
    • Hyunmoo III Ship-to-shore cruise missiles
• 21 RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM)
• 8 Harpoon Anti-ship cruise missile

Ships in the class

Name	Number	Builder	Launched	Commissioned	Decommissioned	Status
Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin	DDH-975	Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering	15 May 2002	30 November 2003		Active
Munmu the Great	DDH-976	Hyundai Heavy Industries	11 April 2003	30 September 2004		Active
Dae Jo-yeong	DDH-977	Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering	12 November 2003	30 June 2005		Active
Wang Geon	DDH-978	Hyundai Heavy Industries	4 May 2005	10 November 2006		Active
Gang Gam-chan	DDH-979	Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering	16 March 2006	1 October 2007		Active
Choe Yeong	DDH-981	Hyundai Heavy Industries	20 October 2006	4 September 2008		Active

ROKS Munmu the Great (DDH-976) during RIMPAC 2006

ROKS Dae Jo Yeong (DDH-977) being guided into Naval Base San Diego

ROKS Kang Gamchan (DDH-979) during International Fleet Review

ROKS Choi Young (DDH-981) during joint exercise "Invincible Spirit"

KDX-IIA

KDX-IIA is a proposed variant of the KDX-II. It will be armed with the advanced Aegis Combat System and will have enhanced features of KDX-II such as stealth. The ship has also been offered to the Indian Navy.

See also

• Cheonghae Unit
• Korean Destroyer eXperimental
• Gwanggaeto the Great class destroyer
• Sejong the Great class destroyer

Further reading

• Watts, Anthony J. (2006). Jane's Warship Recognition Guide (4 ed.). London: HarperCollins. ISBN 978-0-06-084992-4. OCLC 63185682. http://books.google.com/books?id=idndHAAACAAJ.