KDX-II Destroyer South Korea's Future Stealth Destroyer

The Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) has embarked on a substantial shipbuilding program for its Korean Destroyer Experimental (KDX). It is a three-phased program consisting of three individual classes of ships: KDX-I (3800 tons) with Initial Operational Capability (IOC) of 1998, KDX-II (5000 tons) with IOC 2002, and KDX-III (probably 7000+ tons) with IOC 2007/2008. Each phase gets more ambitious with respect to ship size, sensors, and weapons. The USN has sold a substantial amount of materials and technical support for the KDX-I and KDX-II ships.

KDX-II will be a 5000-ton class ship with probably 6 KDX-II hulls. KDX-II reopens all major USN systems for consideration, includ-ing sonars, radars, launchers, fire control, etc. These include the Mk 41 Vertical Launch Sys-tem, Harpoon Launcher and Missile, Mk 46 Mod 5 Torpedo (VLA version), Weapon Di-rection System Mk 14, OT-134 CWI Radar Il-luminator, GE-LM2500 Gas Turbines, AN/SPS-49 Radar, RAM Launcher and Mis-sile, and 5-inch Gun Mk 45 Mod 4 with Ex-tended Range Guided Munition (ERGM). In the Mk 41 VLS, ROKN wants capability for SM-2 Block IIIA, possibly VLA, and possibly NSSMS RIM-7P missiles or ESSM, when available.

Letters of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) for three 32-cell Mk 41 VLS and three ship sets of WDS Mk 14 and OT-134 have been accepted. LOAs for two Harpoon Launchers have also been accepted. For the Harpoon Launchers, DSCA authorized waiver of collection of the NRC charge. In addition, LOAs have been accepted for three AN/SPS-49(V)5. An LOA for the RAM Missile was provided, but not yet accepted, and a re-statement was in progress as of August 2000. The DCS sale for the RAM Launcher is complete. P&A for Standard Missile SM-2 Block IIIA has been provided; LOA preparation is in process. DCS sale of the 5-inch Gun is completed. A particular selling point with ROKN for the 5-inch Gun with ERGM is its vastly improved capability for naval surface gunfire support to ROK Army troops.



Builder Hyundai Heavy Industries(HHI)
Propulsion
Length 150 meters
Beam 17 meters
Draft meters
Displacement 4,800 - 5,000 tons full load
Propulsion CODOG
Endurance miles @ knots
Speed 30 knots
Crew 200 crew
Armament 1 32-cell Mk 41 VLS
1 Mk45 Mod4 gun
1 RAM
A(R)1 Goalkeeper
8 SSMs
+ Space reserved for land-attack cruise missiles

Systems AN/SPS-49(V)5
MW.08
2 STIR 240 with Raytheon OT-134A CWI transmitters bolted on
DSQ-23 sonar

Aircraft pad and hanager for Super Lynx

source



Here are some pics









Well intresting design looks kinda like the French Navies La Fayette class destroyer. I think its also intresting that their considering the ERGM (extended range guided munition) for their five inch guns. I like how The US is cooperating with its allies defence projects, suggesting ideas make their more efficent and all. Any opinons?

Check out South Korea's real near future destroyer, the Aegis equipped KDX-III.

Illustration

KDX-III will probably be a larger (7000 tons or greater), more "Aegis-like" ship (Aegis Combat System with the ship incorporating certain Low Observables (LO/CLO) technology). The KDX-III' standard displacement is 7,000t, while its full load dispalcement would be above 9,000t.

Three or four KDX-III hulls can be expected. After the first ship is completed in 2008, the ministry expects to deploy two other KDX- III destroyers in 2010 and 2012, respectively. By one estimate each vessel will cost about 1.2 trillion won ($923 million). The entire project, including the ships themselves, is expected to cost 2.8 trillion won by other estimates. The ROK KDX-III destroyer is intended to be a multi-purpose destroyer featuring anti-air warfare, anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare and tactical ballistic missile defense capabilities.

This platform will enable the ROKN to successfully defend the maritime areas around the Korean peninsula from air, surface, and subsurface threats, and will increase interoperability with the USN.

On 18 March 2002, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress of the possible sale of three Lockheed Martin Aegis air defence systems, worth a potential US$1.2 billion, to arm the Republic of Korea Navy’s three new KDX-III destroyers. Aegis is very important for KDX-III. The ROKN is made a very strong effort to purchase the Aegis Combat System (baseline 7 phase 1) for KDX-III. The destroyer has been referred to as Aegis Destroyer, after Lockheed Martin's Aegis system. However, this is just one of the possible combat system solutions.

On 25 July 2002 Lockheed Martin won the contract to provide South Korea's navy with weapons control systems for three destroyers, beating European rival Thales SA. The Korean Navy selected the U.S Navy and Lockheed Martin to provide the Aegis Weapon System for its KDX-III Destroyer Program in late 2002. The three KDX-III Destroyers, equipped with the Aegis Weapon System, will allow the Korean Navy to successfully defend the maritime areas around the Korean Peninsula from air, surface and underwater threats. In addition, the KDX-III Destroyers will increase interoperability with the U.S. Navy.

The first vessel is scheduled to be operational in the year 2008. The Hyundai Heavy Industries Shipyard is currently working on the basic design of the platform, but the actual decision who is going to build the three vessels won't be taken until 2003/2004 after competition. The most likely candidates are Hyundai Heavy Industries, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering and Hanjin Heavy Industries.

Source

KDX-III would be the most powerful surface combatant on the planet. 128 cells of VLS, much more than the Japanese Kongo or the American AB. Aegis equipped. 16 Harpoons with Korean cruise missile (currently unknown). KDX-III will displace greater than 10,000 tons full load. Until the DDX comes out, KDX-III would be the most powerful surface combatant.

[edit on 25-10-2005 by COWlan]

Looks like a very impressive Destroyer. Makes you think whats this designed for? The N Korean Navy which is not that impressive or is this a investment to counter China's growing Naval strength in that area of the world.

Originally posted by ShadowXIX
The N Korean Navy which is not that impressive or is this a investment to counter China's growing Naval strength in that area of the world.

Most likely the second reason. Why else are some Asian countries buying new air superiority fighters like the F-15 instead of fighter-bombers like the F-16 or the F-18.

nice ship plus the lessons learned from these ship could aid in the creation of the ddx