The new Daegu-class frigate Cheonan (FFG-826) got its name from former Pohang-class corvette (PCC) Cheonan, which was attacked by a North Korean submarine on March 26th, 2010, after which it subsequently sank in the Yellow Sea taking 46 Korean sailors’ lives.
ROK Navy Fleet Commander, Vice Adm. Kim Myung-soo said:
“New Cheonan, which has been revived with the patriotism and national desire of 46 fallen sailors, will completely perform its maritime patrol and other missions as a key force of the Republic of Korean Navy.”
Following the ship’s launch ceremony that took place in November 2021, ROKS Cheonan has undergone various pre-delivery tests and modifications. Delivery of ROKS Cheonan to ROK Navy is expected to further boost the Navy’s anti-submarine warfare (ASW) against increasing threats from North Korea. After the formal handover of ROKS Cheonan, ROKS Chuncheon will be the eighth, last and final Daegu-class frigate to be delivered.
Daegu-class frigates, or FFX Batch II were jointly designed and built by South Korea’s two shipbuilding giants, DSME (Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering) and HHI (Hyundai Heavy Industries). It has been in active use since the first ship got delivered in 2018, where it replaced most of aging Ulsan-class frigates and Pohang-class corvettes.
It is 122m in length, 14m in width, 35m in height and displaces 2800 tons when fully loaded. It is capable of cruising up to 30 knots or 55 kilometers per hour and carries one helicopter onboard for ASW operations.
Notable improvements from its predecessor Incheon-class frigate include improved sonar system from Hanwha Systems, named SQS-240K hull mounted sonar and SQS-250K towed array sonar respectively. Its CODLOG (Combined Diesel-Electric or Gas) propulsion system enables the ship to be quieter despite the increased displacement of roughly 2,800 tons.
Another improvement is the firepower it possesses. Daegu-class frigates are fitted with 16-cell KVLS (Korean Vertical Launching System) which can deploy Haegung K-SAAM (Korean Surface to Air Anti Missiles) and Red Shark anti-submarine missiles and SSM-700K Haesong anti-ship missiles. All these missile defense systems are engineered by a local company LIG Nex1. As for the gun system, it consists of 127mm Mk. 45 Mod 4 naval gun and Raytheon’s Phalanx Block 1B CIWS (Close-In Weapon System) for ship’s self-defense.
