The Republic of Korea Navy on Monday received the first in a series of new Chamsuri II-class (project name PKX-B) patrol boats, the country’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced.
Named ‘PKMR 211’, the new patrol vessel was launched in July 2016 and delivered to the navy by Hanjin Heavy Industries (HHI).
The delivery ceremony took place at HHI’s shipyard in Busan.
The ‘PKMR 211’ is the first of a new, smaller class (230-tons) of South Korean Navy patrol boats intended to replace the aging Chamsuri-class vessels built for the navy in the 1970s.
Together with the larger PKX-A (approx. 500 tons), the PKX-B constitutes the broader class of PKX boats.
Designed to counter a small-boat attack from North Korea, the 44-meter-long PKX-B is fitted with a 130 mm guided rocket launcher at the stern in addition to a 76mm gun and machine guns.
All four ships from the first batch are set to be delivered by 2019.