HHI delivers final Daegu-class FFX Batch II frigate to South Korea

South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) has delivered the final Daegu-class frigate Chuncheon to the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN).

Chuncheon is the final ship of the Daegu-class Batch-II project, which involves building a total of eight 2,800-ton frigates to replace the existing 1,500-ton frigates (FF) and 1,200-ton patrol ships (PCC). 

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries was responsible for the construction of 4 ships, including the third ship Seoul, the fourth ship Donghae, the seventh ship Cheonan, and the eighth ship Chuncheon.

Chuncheon is 122 meters long and 14 meters wide, can operate at a maximum speed of 30 knots, and is equipped with 5-inch naval guns, anti-ship guided missiles, and tactical anti-ship guided missiles.

In addition, a hybrid propulsion system that uses a gas turbine and a propulsion motor to reduce underwater radiation noise was applied, and a hull-mounted sonar (HMS, Hull Mounted Sonar) and a towed array sonar system (TASS, long-distance) were used.

The vessel comes equipped with anti-submarine torpedoes so that its submarine detection and attack capabilities can been improved.

To remind, the launching ceremony for the vessel was held last March at HHI’s shipyard. Hanwha Ocean, formerly Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME), launched the fifth and the sixth vessel in May and September 2021, respectively.