Dosan Ahn Changho-class submarine

The Dosan Ahn Changho-class submarines are the final phase of the Korean Attack Submarine program, a three-phased program to build 27 attack submarines for the Republic of Korea Navy between 1994 and 2029.[2] The lead vessel, Dosan Anh Changho, was launched in 2018. It began sea trials in 2019 and planned to be ready for service by 2020.[3]

Model of a Dosan Ahn Changho-class submarine
Class overview
Builders:
Operators:  Republic of Korea Navy
Preceded by: Son Won-il class
Cost: US$ 900,000,000
Built: 2016–present
In service: 2020 schedule
Planned: 9
Building: 2
Completed: 1
General characteristics
Type: Attack submarine
Displacement: (Batch I) 3,358 t (3,305 long tons) surfaced, 3,750 t (3,690 long tons) submerged
Length: 83.5 m (273 ft 11 in)
Beam: 9.6 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught: 7.62 m (25 ft 0 in)
Propulsion:
  • Diesel-electric, low noise skew back propeller
  • 4 x Bumhan Industry PH1 PEM fuel cell each with 150 kW[1]
Speed:
  • 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) surfaced
  • 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) submerged
Range: 10,000 nmi (19,000 km; 12,000 mi)
Endurance: 50 days
Complement: 50
Armament:
  • Batch-1
  • 6 x 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes (Tiger Shark torpedo and Harpoon missile)
  • 6 x VLS tubes (cruise and ballistic missiles)

Design and description

The new class will have a submarine version of the Korean Vertical Launching System which will be able to carry up to ten indigenous "Chonryong" land-attack cruise missiles and "Hyunmoo" submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM),[2] becoming the first submarine in the South Korean navy to have this kind of capability. It will also have many other improvements compared to its predecessors built with a greater degree of South Korean technology, especially in the later batches, which will include Samsung SDI lithium-ion batteries.[4][5] Measured to displace over 3,800 tonnes (3,700 long tons) submerged during sea trials,[3] they are the largest conventional submarines ever built by South Korea. The Batch II vessels will increase their displacement by approximately 450 t (440 long tons) (4,250 t, 4,180 long tons submerged), according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration.[6]

KSS-III Batch II

On 25 April 2016 there was a South Korean Congressional Hearing session held immediately after North Korea's SLBM launch, which raised some important questions about the ROK Navy's submarine capabilities to counter this threat. In response to questions whether the ROK Navy was currently developing capabilities to counter the SLBM threat, the ministry confirmed that the KSS-III Batch-II will undergo redesign process before construction (lasting until 30 December 2018) to accommodate capability upgrades. These upgrades will give the Batch-II submarines better capabilities at both attacking strategic land-based facilities and performing anti-submarine warfare. The Next Generation Submarine Project Team held a "System Functional Review" meeting on the KSS-III Batch-II submarine in late June 2017 which led to a review of the Batch-II design.[7]

Expected changes of Batch-II compared to Batch-I:

  • Lengthened hull (approximately 6 m (19 ft 8 in))
  • Increase of VLS cells from 6 to 10
  • Indigenous combat system and sensors
  • LiB and, potentially, High-Temperature Superconductor (HTS) motor for integrated full electric propulsion system

Construction and service

The lead vessel, Dosan Anh Changho, was launched in 2018. It began sea trials in 2019 and planned to be ready for service by 2020.[3] The second vessel of first batch was observed nearing completion in the Geoje shipyard of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering on 12 May 2019.[8]

Ships in the class
Name Pennant number Builder Laid Down Launched Commissioned Status
ROKS Dosan Ahn Changho SS-083 DSME 17 May 2016 14 September 2018 Launched
ROKS Ahn Mu SS-085 DSME 17 April 2018 10 November 2020 Launched
ROKS Yi Dong-nyeong SS-086 Hyundai Heavy Industries 11 April 2019 Under construction
ROKS Lee Bong-chang SS-087 DSME

References
  1. "연료전지시장 '빅뱅' 예고한 '범한산업'". 월간수소경제. 2 October 2018.
  2. Gady, Franz-Stefan (18 June 2019). "South Korea's First-of-Class KSS-III Attack Sub Begins Sea Trials". The Diplomat. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  3. "South Korea's first KSS-3 submarine begins sea trials". Jane's.com.
  4. "South Korea approves procurement of next batch of Aegis destroyers, subs". Naval Today. 6 May 2019. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  5. "DSME Jangbogo-III Batch-II Pilot Design Has Come to an End". Navy Recognition. 28 December 2018. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  6. Jeong, Jeff (2 May 2019). "South Korea to build 3 more Aegis destroyers able to thwart ballistic missiles". Defense News. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  7. "DSME Launched ROK Navy's 1st 3000 tons KSS-III Submarine Dosan Ahn Chang-ho". Navy Recognition. 17 September 2018. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  8. 도산 안창호급 2번함: Bemil, Chosun Ilbo
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