Republic of Korea Navy
KDX-III Class Destroyer
The South Korean Navy yesterday launched its first destroyer equipped with the Aegis air defense system, which will significantly enhance the nation's naval warfare capabilities.
South Korea became the world's fifth nation after the United States, Japan, Spain and Norway to operate the computer-based system which links radar and weapons systems to simultaneously detect, track and engage hundreds of aircraft and missiles.
The Aegis system was provided by Lockheed Martin Corp. of the United States.
The 7,650-ton destroyer was launched during a ceremony in Ulsan, a southeastern port city, with President Roh Moo-hyun and ranking military officials including Defense Minster Kim Jang-soo in attendance.
The destroyer, which will be deployed by the second half of next year, is the first of three vessels being developed under a naval force improvement program code-named KDX-III. The Navy aims to deploy two more 7,000-ton class Aegis destroyers, in 2010 and 2012.
The vessel has been named Sejong the Great after one of the greatest kings of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). During his reign, Korean naval forces conquered Japan's Tsushima Island in 1419 to eradicate Japanese pirates.
"The warship will be the core asset for a naval force capable of operating across open seas as well as protecting the nation's maritime routes," Roh said during the ceremony.
The government spent $923 million to build the destroyer. Its hull was built by Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., the nation's largest shipbuilder.
Navy officials said the Sejong the Great is the world's most advanced Aegis destroyer whose abilities are superior to the U.S. Arleigh Burke-class Aegis destroyers.
Its full load displacement exceeds 10,000 tons and it has the capacity to carry 128 missiles, they said.
The heart of the Aegis system is the computer-based AN/SPY-1D multi-function radar capable of simultaneously detecting and tracking about 900 targets operating 1,000 kilometers away, providing full 360 degree coverage. Its missile systems can fire at up to 122 targets within a minute, including aircraft, surface ships, submarines and ballistic missiles.
The 166-meter-long ship is equipped with a variety of long and mid-range antiair and antiship missiles, such as SM-II Block 4A vertical launching missiles, RAM anti-ship missiles, Hae Sung (Sea Star) ship-to-ship missiles, Cheon Ryeong (Sky Dragon) cruise missiles and Hong Sahng-uh (Red Shark) anti-submarine torpedoes.
The destroyer also carries two mid-sized helicopters. It can sail at a maximum speed of 30 knots.
The military will invest more than 3 trillion won ($3.2 billion) to build three Aegis vessels by 2012. The Navy is reportedly planning to build three additional Aegis-equipped destroyers which will become the centerpiece of a new strategic mobile fleet to be operational by 2020.
"The KDX-III destroyers will perform deep-water missions with improved survivability over current and planned ships operated by the Korean Navy. They will successfully cope with various threats from the air, surface and underwater," a military official said on condition of anonymity.
South Korea has been beefing up its naval forces since the 1990s under the three-phased ship-building KDX program. Under the KDX-I program, the country commissioned three 3,000-ton class destroyers in the late 1990s. It completed building six 4,500-ton class stealth destroyers last year under the KDX-II program.
The 166-meter-long ship is equipped with a variety of long and mid-range antiair and antiship missiles, such as SM-II Block 4A vertical launching missiles, RAM anti-ship missiles, Hae Sung (Sea Star) ship-to-ship missiles, Cheon Ryeong (Sky Dragon) cruise missiles and Hong Sahng-uh (Red Shark) anti-submarine torpedoes.
The destroyer also carries two mid-sized helicopters. It can sail at a maximum speed of 30 knots.
The military will invest more than 3 trillion won ($3.2 billion) to build three Aegis vessels by 2012. The Navy is reportedly planning to build three additional Aegis-equipped destroyers which will become the centerpiece of a new strategic mobile fleet to be operational by 2020.
"The KDX-III destroyers will perform deep-water missions with improved survivability over current and planned ships operated by the Korean Navy. They will successfully cope with various threats from the air, surface and underwater," a military official said on condition of anonymity.
South Korea has been beefing up its naval forces since the 1990s under the three-phased ship-building KDX program. Under the KDX-I program, the country commissioned three 3,000-ton class destroyers in the late 1990s. It completed building six 4,500-ton class stealth destroyers last year under the KDX-II program.
By Jin Dae-woong (26.05.2007)Source :
The Korea Herald
Accueil 
faut les empiler
