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| ▲ This photo, provided by the Navy and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration on April 29, 2026, shows the new ROKS Jeju frigate, moored at a shipyard of SK Oceanplant Co., in Goseong, South Gyeongsang Province, about 350 kilometers south of Seoul, ahead of its launch ceremony. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
new frigate-launch ceremony
S. Korea to launch new frigate with enhanced anti-air, anti-sub capabilities
By Kim Seung-yeon
SEOUL, April 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korea was set to hold a launch ceremony Wednesday for a new homegrown 3,600-ton frigate with enhanced anti-air and anti-submarine capabilities, the Navy and the state arms procurement agency said.
The ceremony for the ROKS Jeju, named after the country's southern resort island, will take place at a shipyard run by SK Oceanplant Co., in Goseong County, about 350 kilometers south of Seoul, the Navy and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said in a joint release.
The 129-meter-long vessel is the fourth ship built as part of South Korea's Ulsan-class Batch-III frigate acquisition program aimed at replacing aging frigates and patrol combat corvettes.
It is equipped with a 5-inch gun, a vertical launch system, anti-ship missile interceptors, ship-to-ship guided missiles, tactical ship-to-ground guided missiles and long-range anti-submarine torpedoes.
It is also fitted with a homegrown "multifunctional phased array radar" system capable of detecting, tracking multiple targets and engaging them at the same time.
The vessel is expected to serve as a key combat ship operating in regional waters with its advanced anti-air and anti-submarine capabilities, the Navy and DAPA said.
Following a trial period, the frigate will be delivered to the Navy in June 2027, before going into service.
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