A performance upgrade project to enhance the combat capability of the Navy's mainstay submarine, the Jang Bogo II-class (1,800-ton class), has kicked into full gear.
The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said on the 20th that it held a kickoff meeting for system development under the Jang Bogo II-class submarine performance upgrade project at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries in Ulsan. Hosted by DAPA, the meeting brought together the Navy, the Defense Agency for Technology and Quality (DTaQ), and developers to share the project plan and discuss system development road maps by field and coordination measures.
DAPA plans to invest a total of 468.9 billion won through 2033 to replace the combat systems and towed array sonars on three Jang Bogo II-class submarines with the latest equipment, and to add mine-avoidance sonars and flank array sonars, completing the performance upgrade.
The existing combat systems and towed array sonars are aging equipment developed in the 1990s. Their diminished performance made it difficult to respond effectively to enemy threats. The goal of this upgrade is to improve operational capabilities such as detection, identification, and attack. In particular, DAPA noted that a domestically developed combat system will be applied, which is expected to contribute to smooth military operations through stable follow-on logistics support.
The Jang Bogo II-class submarine is the Navy's mainstay submarine. It is 65 meters long, 6.3 meters wide, and has a top speed of 20 knots (about 37 kph). It is armed with torpedoes, mines, and guided missiles and can conduct anti-ship warfare, anti-submarine warfare, and offensive mine-laying missions. The Jang Bogo II-class is equipped with an air-independent propulsion system (AIP), a device that allows propulsion without air, enabling two weeks of underwater operations.
The Navy has operated a total of nine Jang Bogo II-class submarines since the lead boat, Son Won-il, was deployed for operations in 2007.