August 14, 2021

South Korea Commissions its first KSS 3, Batch 1, Submarine

But will actually deploy it by August 2022 after Navy trials.

See
 https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2021/08/rok-navy-commissions-her-first-kss-iii-submarine/

5 comments:

Nicky said...

So basically, what South Korea built was a modernized version of the Golf and Hotel class Submarine or the Juliett-class submarine.

Anonymous said...

Hi Pete

Final target of SLBM is to load nuclear warhead. There is a rumor the cold launching system for SLBM of South Korea is using Russian technology. In future, South Korea develops nuclear submarine armed with nuclear warhead SLBM. Do four powers (China, Russia, Japan, USA) surrounding South Korea allow such a behavior?

Regards

Pete said...

Hi Nicky

I see it more likely South Korea has put a missile compartment plug into an enlarged variant of the Type 214 design TKM sold to South Korea.

However, NORTH Korea may be more likely to have modified one of its Golfs into a Sinpo-class SSB ie. a conventionally powered nuclear tipped ballistic missile submarine.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinpo-class_submarine#Possible_Golf-II_conversion

Cheers

Pete

Pete said...

Hi Anonymous [at Aug 15, 2021, 11:07:00 AM]

Yes SLBM firing submarines only make sense if the SLBMs have nuclear warheads.

If South Korea has stolen secret Russian technology for cold launching SLBMs it is entirely appropriate for South Korea's situation. South Korea is always under nuclear threat from North Korea.

Yes, it looks like the four powers (China, Russia, Japan, USA) surrounding South Korea UNDERSTAND South Korea's need to prepare a nuclear Deterrent against North Korea.

Japan has also prepared the elements of nuclear weapons potential for about 2 decades. That is Japan has literally tonnes of Plutonium which, with Uranium 235, it can manufacture into weapons grade.

Japan has developed the nuclear warhead suitable Epsilon intercontinental range missile.

Japan also has had the technology for decades to build nuclear weapon devices.

See https://gentleseas.blogspot.com/2016/03/trumps-moderation-and-japans-nuclear.html

and

https://gentleseas.blogspot.com/2018/03/hitachi-asset-in-japans-comprehensive.html

Regards

Pete

Anonymous said...

Hi Pete

Japan has resources such as Plutonium and technologies to develop nuclear weapons. But, Japan does not have one of the most important factors to develop nuclear weapons. To develop nuclear weapons, its secrecy including planning must be established

However, budget and R&D system of Japan MoD is crystal clear as shown in the Submarine Matters. Even details (unit price, number, types) of food and shoes are released in the 800-pages budget paper of MoD. MoD can not develop nuclear weapon secretly.

Regards