HD Heavy Industries delivers 3,000-t Shin Chae-ho submarine to Navy

Defense

Published: 04 Apr. 2024, 15:18 Updated: 04 Apr. 2024, 16:35

HD Heavy Industries delivers 3,000-t Shin Chae-ho submarine to Navy

A domestically developed 3,000-ton diesel submarine, the Shin Chae-ho, was delivered to the South Korean Navy on Thursday. [NEWS1]

South Korea’s latest homegrown 3,000-ton diesel submarine, the Shin Chae-ho, was delivered to the Navy Thursday to serve as a centerpiece of the “Kill Chain” system meant to deter North Korean threats.

Named after renowned Korean independence activist Shin Chae-ho (1880-1936), the submarine was handed over to the Navy at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ shipyard in Ulsan during a ceremony attended by officials from the Navy, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) and HD Hyundai Heavy as well as key military and government officials from nine countries including the United States, Poland and Australia.

The Shin Chae-ho is the third and final submarine of the KSS III Batch 1 program that began in 2007, following the Dosan Ahn Chang-ho and Ahn Moo submarines, which were both built by HD Hyundai Heavy’s rival shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean, formerly known as Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME).

The newest vessel is the first 3,000-ton submarine to be designed and built independently with HD Hyundai Heavy Industries' technologies and delivered on time, a feat made possible due to the full support and cooperation from DAPA and the Navy, said the shipbuilder in a press release.

The company has been gaining more attention for its shipbuilding technologies and business management capabilities thanks to its successful on-time delivery of battleships, from the Ulsan-class Cheonan and Chuncheon frigates to Thursday's Shin Chae-ho. The submarine has been equipped with the latest fuel cell, lead-acid battery propulsion system and state-of-the-art noise control technologies, boasting significantly improved covert mission capabilities and survivability.

The Dosan Ahn Chang-ho was commissioned in August 2022 and the Ahn Moo late last year. Construction of Batch 2, an upgraded version of Batch 1, began in 2021 with two submarines, and the construction of a third started earlier this year. If all goes according to plan, the South Korean Navy will have at least six newly built submarines by 2030.

“Batch” is the term used to distinguish upgrade phases in the development of vessels that take a long time to become fully operational.

South Korea is one of eight countries capable of building 3,000-ton submarines with homegrown technology, along with the United States, Britain, France, Japan, India, China and Russia.

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries officials take a commemorative photo after the delivery signing ceremony of Shin Chae-ho at its Ulsan shipyard with guests from the Ministry of National Defense, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration and government officials from nine countries on Thursday. [HD HYUNDAI HEAVY INDUSTRIES]

The Shin Chae-ho is distinguished by domestically developed key technologies for essential equipment on submarines, such as combat and sonar systems. It possesses an air-independent propulsion (AIP) system and a high-performance fuel system that can generate electricity underwater without the need for external air intake, allowing for longer diving times.

The submarine is also capable of carrying six vertical launch tubes for submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLMB), designed to eliminate North Korean nuclear and missile targets if there are signs of intended use.

The Shin Chae-ho can accommodate around 50 crewmembers and cruise at a maximum speed of 20 knots (37 kilometers per hour).

The Navy is currently planning to deploy the submarine after eight months of operational testing, DAPA said. The vessel is expected to be a key pillar in the South Korean-U.S. “Kill Chain” plan to preemptively strike North Korea at the first sign of a missile launch.

South Korea's so-called tri-axis defense strategy, which is aimed at deterring and defending against armed provocations by North Korea, consists of three components: Kill Chain, which aims to detect and destroy the North's missiles before they can be launched; Korea Air and Missile Defense, which focuses on intercepting missiles midflight; and Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation (KMPR), which threatens to eliminate North Korea’s leadership and command nodes in response to an attack.

The Shin Chae-ho, a 3,000-ton diesel submarine, sits at the ship lift inside the HD Hyundai Heavy Industries shipyard in Ulsan on Thursday. [YONHAP]

Meanwhile, South Korean shipbuilders such as HD Hyundai Heavy and Hanwha Ocean have been pitching offers to build submarines for Poland, Canada and the Philippines, which are expected to replace outdated fleets.

Canadian Sen. Michael MacDonald, who is known to be interested in South Korea’s 3,000-ton class submarines, was at Thursday's ceremony. Canada is expected to order a fleet of such vessels in 2026, with South Korean shipbuilders one of the candidates.

Other dignitaries from nine countries, including Director General of Australian Submarine Command Michael Jacobson and Peruvian Ambassador to South Korea Paul Duclos, were also in attendance.

BY LIM JEONG-WON [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]