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Korea Navy News

08 Sep 2023

North Korea Is Growing Its Navy with Submarines and Nuclear Drones. But Why?

© ImageBoost / Adobe Stock

Over the past year North Korea has moved to boost its navy with new nuclear weapons, including an underwater drone, warships, and its first operational missile submarine, unveiled on Friday.North Korea's navy has historically been dwarfed by the country's land forces, and overshadowed by its rapidly advancing ballistic missile program.Now, leader Kim Jong Un has said the navy will play a key role in the country's nuclear deterrence, and analysts say it may also assure support among naval commanders and boost national pride."Until quite recently…

18 Jun 2023

Anti-Vibration Paint Developed in South Korea

A model of Hanwha Ocean's Ulsan-class frigate (Source: Hanwha Ocean)

South Korean shipyard Hanwha Ocean has developed its own anti-vibration paint designed to improve operational performance by reducing vibration and noise.The material is designed for surface warships.For the past 30 years, damping materials have been dependent on imports from the US and Germany, says Hanwha, which has meant that the yard has sometimes had to over-order to meet minimum order requirements, resulting in waste.“The anti-vibration material developed by Hanwha Ocean is cheaper than imported products and can be used without problems in terms of minimum order quantity or customs proce

05 Aug 2022

RIMPAC Naval Exercise Brings Together 'Capable Adaptive Partners' from 28 Nations

Republic of Korea Marine Corps Amphibious Assault Vehicles cover and conceal during an amphibious raid for a multinational littoral operations exercise as part of Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2022, August 1, 2022. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Melanye Martinez)

The 2022 biennial, multi-national Rim of the Pacific's (RIMPAC) exercise has come to a close.This year’s exercise with the theme of “Capable Adaptive Partners,” featured 26 participating nations and 38 surface ships, three submarines, more than 30 uncrewed systems, approximately 170 aircraft, and more than 25,000 personnel.RIMPAC 2022 featured a wide range of capabilities--projecting the inherent flexibility of maritime forces and helping to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific, and took place in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California, June 29 to Aug.

11 Aug 2020

Aussie Pumps Wins Korean Navy Contract

(Photo: Australian Pumps)

A Sydney base pump manufacturer and defense contractor has won a contract, to supply 3” engine drive salvage pumps for the Republic Of Korea Navy. The pumps are unique and have application not only in Korea, but in warships and support vessels throughout the world."The original requirement was for a lightweight portable diesel drive salvage pump, capable of handling saltwater,” said Chief Engineer, John Hales. "We'd already developed high pressure firefighting pumps for seawater applications in the form of both the Seamaster and Sea Skipper diesel drive machines’…

19 May 2020

HHI Delivers Philippine Navy Frigate

The Philippine Navy’s newest frigate, BRP Jose Rizal (Photo: HHI)

The latest Philippine Navy frigate built by South Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), BRP Jose Rizal, departed for the Philippines carrying masks and other quarantine supplies.The 2,600-ton frigate, with maximum speed of 25 knots, features the Philippine Navy’s first operation of guided missiles and torpedoes.The new ship set sail to Subic port in the Philippines following a sail-off ceremony held by HHI on Monday. The builder said the delivery comes four months ahead of the…

30 Aug 2019

eMARINE Global Wins ROK Navy Gig

The provider of information and communications technology (ICT) for the maritime industry eMARINE Global  signed a contract with the Republic of Korea Navy for the maintenance of its Anti-Submarine Warfare Team Trainer (ASWTT) at the Jin-Hae Naval Base.The contract is valued at an estimated 920 million won (US$0.76 million), said the Maritime ICT Provider based in South Korea which also have operations in the US.eMARINE has maintained the ASWTT virtual reality simulator, used to simulate battles between warships and submarines, since 2017. The simulator technology was developed by Sindel, an Italian technology company.“eMARINE in an advantageous position to secure work on the second ASWTT installation planned for the Dong-Hae Naval Base,” stated Ung Gyu Kim, Chairman and CEO.

21 May 2018

Rolls-Royce Gas Turbine Selected for Japan’s New Frigate

Rolls-Royce reports it has been selected to supply its MT30 gas turbine to power a new class of frigates for the Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF).The selection means Japan is the fifth nation to select the MT30 for a major naval shipbuilding program.Sam Cameron, Rolls-Royce, Senior Vice President – Defence, said, “Japan’s selection of the MT30 is very significant and means that the three largest users of marine gas turbines, have all endorsed the capabilities of the MT30…

01 Mar 2018

First Daegu-class Frigate Delivered to Korean Navy

The Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN) has taken delivery of its first Daegu-class (FFX-II) frigate. South Korea’s defense procurement agency, Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) formally handed over the ship to the Navy, the first of an eight-ship program. As well as the controllable pitch propellers, Rolls-Royce is on contract to provide the main propulsion power for the first four FFX-II ships with the Rolls-Royce MT30 gas turbine as part of a hybrid propulsion system, specifically designed to enhance Anti-Submarine Warfare capabilities. Eight Daegu-class frigates are scheduled to be built, the first of which is being built by Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME).

12 Dec 2017

Nimitz Carrier Strike Group Returns to Washington

Washington-based ships assigned to Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 11 returned Dec. 10, just in time for the upcoming holidays following a six-month deployment to the Indo-Asia-Pacific region and the Arabian Gulf. The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68), with embarked CSG-11, returned home to Naval Base Kitsap, and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Shoup (DDG 86) and USS Kidd (DDG 100) returned to Naval Station Everett. The strike group consists of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68), Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 9, and Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruisers USS Princeton (CG 59) and USS Lake Erie (CG 70). The air wing and DESRON command staff disembarked in San Diego Dec.

12 Nov 2017

Australian Warships Drill with Republic Of Korea

Across late October and early November, Royal Australian Navy frigates HMA Ships Melbourne and Parramatta visited the Republic of Korea for the biennial maritime anti-submarine warfare exercise HAEDOLI WALLABY. Arriving alongside in Busan, Australian personnel and their Korean Navy counterparts commenced the harbour phase of the exercise, enhancing mutual understanding and cooperation through a series of table-top briefings, damage control demonstrations, practical scenarios and a game of soccer. Marking the exercise opening, the Commodore Warfare, Commodore Ivan Ingham, highlighted how the exercise reinforces the importance Australia places on strengthening strategic dialogue and training, as well as capability and defence materiel cooperation with its North Asia partner.

05 Nov 2017

Exercise Haedoli-Wallaby

Australia and the Republic of Korea participated in Exercise Haedoli-Wallaby, a bilateral anti-submarine warfare exercise, from November 1-3. The biennial exercise demonstrates a shared commitment by Australia and the Republic of Korea to regional security and security of the Korean peninsula. Royal Australian Navy frigates HMA Ships Parramatta and Melbourne and a Royal Australian Air Force P-8 maritime patrol aircraft participated with six Republic of Korea ships, a submarine and a maritime surveillance aircraft from the Republic of Korea Navy. Australian assets are in the region participating in Indo-Pacific Endeavour 17, a joint task group deployment focusing on maritime security and cooperation.

22 Oct 2017

Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group Visits South Korea

Task Force 70 Public Affairs (NNS) - The Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group arrived in Busan for a port visit, Oct. 21. The aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) with embarked staff of Commander, Task Force (CTF) 70, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15 staff and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, and the guided-missile destroyers USS Stethem (DDG 63) and USS Chafee (DDG 90) pulled into Busan after participating in Maritime Counter Special Operations Force Exercise (MCSOFEX) 2017. The focus of the bilateral training exercise was to increase the readiness of U.S. and Republic of Korea (ROK) forces and maintain stability on the Korean Peninsula. Shuttle tankers differ from “standard” crude oil tankers.

16 May 2017

Rolls-Royce to Power Korean Naval Frigates

Photo: Rolls-Royce

Rolls-Royce said it has won a contract to supply MT30 marine gas turbines to power the next three ships in the Republic of Korea Navy’s Daegu-class frigate program. The frigates are intended for a variety of missions including anti-submarine warfare, anti-air warfare, patrol, surveillance, search and rescue, protection of EEZ and transport. In all Eight Daegu-class frigates (also known as FFX Batch 2) are scheduled to be built, the first of which is being built by Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) and was launched at DSME's Okpo shipyard in June 2016.

25 Apr 2017

US Navy Conducts Bilateral Drill with Japan and Korea

U.S. Navy ships are conducting simultaneous bilateral maritime exercises with the Republic of Korea Navy and with the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force today and tomorrow (April 25-26, local time).    The destroyers USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108) and ROKN Wang Geon (DDH 978) are conducting combined maritime exercises in waters west of the Korean Peninsula while the destroyers USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) and JMSDF JS Chokai (DDG 176) execute combined maritime exercises in waters west of Japan.    Both exercises demonstrate a shared commitment to security and stability in Northeast Asia as well as the U.S. Navy's inherent flexibility to combine with allied naval forces in response to a broad range of situations.

09 Apr 2017

Carl Vinson Strike Group to Western Pacific

Admiral Harry Harris, Commander, U.S. Pacific Command, has directed the Carl Vinson Strike Group to sail north and report on station in the Western Pacific Ocean after departing Singapore April 8. Carl Vinson Strike Group, including Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2, Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108) and USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112), and Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Champlain (CG 57), will operate in the Western Pacific rather than executing previously planned port visits to Australia. The Strike Group will remain under the operational control of U.S. 3rd Fleet as part of the Third Fleet Forward initiative.

05 Apr 2017

Carl Vinson Strike Group Arrives in Singapore

Aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2, Arleigh Burke -class guided-missile destroyer USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108) and Ticonderoga -class guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Champlain (CG 57) arrived in Singapore for a scheduled port visit, April 4. Prior to the visit, the Carl Vinson Strike Group (CSG-1) completed two weeks of routine operations in the Asia-Pacific region, including maritime exercises with the Republic of Korea Navy and Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force. The ship also operated in the South China Sea during this deployment. "This port visit reaffirms our commitment to the U.S.-Singapore defense relationship and our shared belief that lawful use of the sea and airspace are essential to prosperity…

02 Feb 2017

Gas Turbine Passes FAT for Italian Navy Ship

Photo: Rolls-Royce

Rolls-Royce said it has achieved a milestone for the Italian Navy’s new Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) multi-purpose amphibious vessel, to be built by Fincantieri one of the world’s largest shipbuilding groups, by successfully completing the factory acceptance test for the vessel’s first MT30 Gas Turbine. Rolls-Royce has been selected to provide two MT30 gas turbines to power the new 20,000 tonne displacement, multi-purpose amphibious vessel. The LHD, which will be built and launched…

10 Nov 2016

Foreign Navies Descend on Sydney

Six ships from four navies arrived at Garden Island, Sydney in early November, creating a buzz on the harbour. The visits came ahead of the Royal New Zealand International Naval Review, which will take place in Auckland later this month. Indonesian Navy ship KRI Banda Aceh, a Makassar class landing platform dock was the first to arrive in Sydney. Chilean Navy tall ship Buque Escuela Esmeralda followed a few days later. The sail training ship, which is undertaking her 61st training cruise, was welcomed to Sydney with a 3 inch gun salute from the cannon positioned near the Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre. She was escorted by a fleet of vessels including local tall ships Southern Swan, South Passage and James Craig and a fire tug.

10 Jun 2016

S.Korea, UN Join Patrols to halt Illegal Chinese Fishing

South Korea and the U.N. Command, which overseas the Korean War armistice, said on Friday they had begun a joint operation to keep Chinese fishing vessels from operating illegally off the west coast. The move comes after South Korean fishermen, frustrated with incursions by Chinese fishing boats in defiance of coast guard warnings, used rope to impound two Chinese trawlers this month and handed them over to authorities. South Korea's navy and coast guard joined with the U.N. Command to patrol the approximately 60 km (40 mile) stretch of waters in the Han River estuary that runs between the coasts of the rival Koreas, a Defence Ministry official told Reuters. "Our navy, coast guard and U.N.

27 May 2016

US Hospital Ship Aids South Korean Sailor

An MH-60S assigned to the Blackjacks of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 21 performs a medical evacuation of a sailor from Republic of Korea Submarine SSK Lee Eok Gi to hospital ship USNS Mercy (U.S. Navy photo by Elizabeth Merriam)

A U.S. hospital ship conducted a medical evacuation, or “medevac”, May 27 to assist an ailing Republic of Korea sailor aboard a Republic of Korea Navy (ROK-N) submarine. At approximately 10:30 a.m. May 26, the Military Sealift Command operated USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) received orders from Commander Task Force (CTF) 73 to render medical assistance to ROK-N submarine SSK Lee Eok Gi (SS 071) in the mid-Pacific. Mercy, which was approximately 18 hours away, altered its track to meet the submarine.

18 Mar 2016

Italian Navy Opts for Rolls-Royce Gas Turbine

Rolls-Royce signed a contract with Fincantieri to provide MT30 gas turbines to power the Italian Navy’s new multi-purpose amphibious vessel. The Derby-based company will supply two of its MT30 gas turbines to power a 20,000-tonne landing helicopter dock vessel, which will be the second largest ship in Italy’s navy. Based on Rolls’ Trent 800 jet engine used on aircraft such as the Boeing 777, the MT30 is already installed on the Royal Navy’s new Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers and is due to be used in Type 26 frigates when work on them begins. The ship will be built by Fincantieri under the Legge Navale ‘Naval Law’ – a major investment programme to renew the Italian naval fleet.

20 Feb 2016

New Era of US, ROK Navy Alliance Begins in Busan

Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Korea (CNFK) conducted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Feb. 19, officially opening its headquarters in Busan and ushering in a new era of U.S. and Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) alliance. The ceremony, attended by dignitaries and senior U.S. and ROK military leaders, marked the completion of CNFK's relocation to Busan making it the only U.S. military headquarters in Korea located on a ROK base. "Five years in the planning, but 59 years in the making, Commander Naval Forces Korea is home in Busan," Rear Adm. Bill Byrne, commander of CNFK, said. The relocation from Seoul to Busan enhances the alliance between the ROK and U.S. navies by enabling closer collaboration and communication and reinforces the strong relationship between the partner navies.

19 Feb 2016

US Bolsters Navy Alliance with Korea

Rear. Adm. Bill Byrne, commander U.S. Naval Forces Korea; Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, commander, U.S. Forces Korea; VAdm. Ki-sik Lee, commander Republic of Korea Fleet; Maj. Gen. James Walton, director of transformation and re-stationing for U.S. Forces Korea; Hon. Mark Lippert, U.S. ambassador to the ROK; Jung Gyung-jin, mayor of Busan for administrative affairs and Lee Jong-cheol, Nam-gu district mayor (U.S. Navy photo by Jermaine M. Ralliford)

Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Korea (CNFK) conducted a ribbon-cutting ceremony February 19, officially opening its headquarters in Busan and ushering in a new era of U.S. and Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) alliance. The ceremony, attended by dignitaries and senior U.S. and ROK military leaders, marked the completion of CNFK's relocation to Busan making it the only U.S. military headquarters in Korea located on a ROK base. "Five years in the planning, but 59 years in the making, Commander Naval Forces Korea is home in Busan," Rear Adm. Bill Byrne, commander of CNFK, said.