digital desk, Seoul. South Korea has begun construction of a new 3,600-ton class military submarine with improved ballistic missile capabilities. Officials gave this information on Thursday.
According to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), the Changbogo-III batch—the second unit of the II-class submarine, boasting larger combat capabilities and sonar systems, will be built by 2026 and handed over to the Navy in 2028.
It is expected to have 10 vertical launch tubes for submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), up from six equipped in 3,000-tonne Batch-I submarines, Yonhap News Agency reports.
DAPA, however, declined to provide details citing security reasons.
The 89-metre-long and 9.6-metre-wide submarine will also be partially powered by a lithium battery, allowing it to undertake longer underwater missions.
The submarine project leader R. Adam. We hope that the submarine will play an important role in national security by enabling an effective response to omnipresent threats, the shipyard of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Company on the southern island of Geoje, Jeon Yong-kyu said during a ceremony.
Upon completion, South Korea will have five submarines of the 3,000 ton class.
In September, the country carried out the third and final launch of three Changbogo-III batch-first submarines.
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