HJ Heavy Industries press release
HJ Heavy Industries has again demonstrated its unmatched competitiveness in the shipbuilding sector by winning orders for four new high-speed boats for the Navy.
As a result of the tender for the construction of 4 high-speed boats (PKX-B Batch-II) for the ROK Navy, which was commissioned by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) earlier this month, the company was selected as the first target company for qualification testing and was awarded contracts with the DAPA on Jan. 24 after going through the screening process. It was announced that it had signed a contract to build a ship for 100 million won.
Thus, after successfully building all 16 new fast patrol boats (PKX-B Batch-I or Patrol Killer Medium Rocket – PKMR) for the Navy, HJ Heavy Industries has achieved the great feat of winning contracts for 4 ships in the follow-up project Batch-II again.
The new fast boat program is a project to build a 200-ton-class fast boat to replace the Navy’s Chamsuri-class fast boat, which played a key role in winning the first and second naval conflicts of Yeonpyeong in 1999 and 2002.
Using powerful guided missiles, a long-range fire control system, electronic warfare systems, and a stealth design, it is considered a true next-generation naval ship, significantly improving not only firepower and maneuverability but also detection, defense, and mission performance compared to existing Chamsuri fast boats.
Starting with Korea’s first fast boat, the ‘Student‘ in 1972, HJ Heavy Industries, which has set a milestone in the history of fast boats in Korea, has built more than 100 Chamsuri fast boats, the Navy’s flagships. With the responsibility of building 20 vessels, the company has continued to make monumental achievements in the field of high-speed vessels in Korea.
HJ Heavy Industries intends to improve the shipbuilding process by installing new equipment and improving performance so that the new PKX-B Batch-II fast boat can be employed as an urgent response force such for coastal defense.
“Based on the pride that served as the birthplace of domestic fast boats over the past 50 years and the technology we have accumulated by building small and medium-sized battleships and landing craft, we will play a role in protecting the nation’s waters and strengthening sea power.”
HJ Heavy Industries CEO
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Naval News comments:
The PKX-B Batch-II ships are expected to be an evolution of the first batch known as PKMR. PKMRs are more survivable and heavily armed than previous patrol boats. Equipment on board include the 130 mm guided anti-ship missile from LIG Nex1, a 76 mm main gun, an electronic warfare system, and advanced anti-ship missile countermeasures. The ships also have two remotely controlled 12.7 mm machine guns which will increase its effectiveness against North Korean missile ships at close range.
The PKMR is 44.7 m in length, 7.1 m in width, and 13 m in height. The ships are some of the fastest vessels in the ROKN with a top speed of 40 knots generated by three CODAG waterjet engines, two GE LM500 gas turbines, and two CAT C32 Acert diesel engines. The vessels also use the STX Engine SPS-300K radar to track surface targets, LIG Nex1’s SPS-560K 3D radar for airborne threats, and the SAW-560K electro-optical targeting system for fire control. The PKMR has a crew of 23.
