South Korean shipbuilder Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction (HHIC) announced on 31 October that it has won a KRW246 billion (USD211 million) contract for the construction of four more Patrol Killer Experimental-B (PKX-B)-class fast attack craft for the Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN).
HHIC announced on 31 October that it was awarded a contract to build four more PKX-B-class patrol craft. (HHIC)
Under the contract, which was awarded by the South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration, HHIC is expected to deliver the four vessels by December 2022, according to the Yonhap News Agency.
HHIC said that, with the latest deal, it now has orders from the RoKN for 16 of these vessels worth a total of KRW1.1 trillion. Additional orders are expected, possibly as part of a second batch.
The first craft of the class, which was given pennant number 211, was delivered to the navy in October 2017. The following three, which have been given pennant numbers 212, 213, and 215, respectively, were launched in December 2018 and are expected to be handed over later this year.
The PKX-B class, which is also known as the Chamsuri II, has a full-load displacement of 300 tonnes, an overall length of 44 m, an overall beam of 7 m, and can accommodate a crew of 20.
Powered by General Electric’s 6,000 shp LM 500 gas-turbine engines and Caterpillar Marine’s Cat C32 diesel engines in a combined diesel and gas turbine (CODAG) configuration, and propelled by waterjets, the platforms have a top speed of 40 kt.
The armament on these vessels includes an aft-mounted, 12-barrelled, multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) for 130 mm rockets, a 76 mm naval gun in the primary position, and two remote-controlled 12.7 mm machine guns.
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