South Korea commissions first KDX-III Batch 2 destroyer

ROKS Jeongjo , lead ship in the RoKN's KDX-III Batch 2 programme. (HD Hyundai Heavy Industries)

The Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN) has commissioned the first of three new Sejong Daewang KDX-III Batch 2-class guided-missile destroyers.

ROKS Jeongjo The Great (pennant number 995) was commissioned on 27 November at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries' (HD HHI's) shipyard in Ulsan following more than two years of trials.

Jeongjo has an overall length of 170 m, an overall beam of 21 m width, and a full displacement of 11,000 tonnes. It is powered by four gas turbine engines and two auxiliary propulsion systems that combined can generate a top speed of about 30 kt.

SangBong Lee, head of design and engineering of HD HHI's Naval and Special Ship Business Unit, told Janes that the new KDX-III Batch 2 destroyers will possess enhanced surveillance, strike, and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities compared with the three KDX-III Batch 1 vessels, which were commissioned between 2008 and 2012.

Jeongjo will also be able to embark an MH-60R helicopter on its flight deck for ASW operations.

Hyunki Cho, deputy minister of current capabilities at South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), also told Janes that the capability of the Batch 2 vessels will be bolstered by their integrated and enhanced Lockheed Martin Aegis combat system.

“The enhanced capabilities of ROKS Jeongjo will be supported by the more powerful Aegis Baseline 9, which has more advanced computing capabilities compared with Aegis Baseline 7 integrated into KDX-III Batch 1 ships,” Cho said.

Jeongjo