South Korean Navy commissions 4th Yangyang-class minesweeper

The South Korean Navy has commissioned its fourth Yangyang-class minesweeper at a ceremony held on 19 November.

Named Namhae (MSH 575), the vessel is the first of three additional minesweepers from the second batch recently ordered by the navy to boost its mine warfare capability. It’s been more than 15 years since the last ship of the class was commissioned, according to the navy officials.

The unit measures 59.4 meters in length, 10 meters in width, and can achieve a speed of approximately 15 knots.

Although the new batch of MSH uses the same hull as the previous ships, they are equipped with updated sensors and equipment that reflect current trends. The vessel is equipped with a 20mm performance-enhanced underwater search detector, unmanned aerial vehicle processing machine (MDV), variable-depth detector, and complex fire-resistant equipment.

“We expect the latest Sohae ship Namhae ship to increase our navy’s capabilities and play a big role in the maritime guardianship mission,” said Lee Dong-gil, head of the 8th Division.

The ship was launched in April this year, its sister vessel Hongseong was launched in September 2020 and the last one Goseong was launched in March 2021. The Yangyang-clas minesweepers were built by Kangnam Corporation in Busan for the South Korean Navy.

According to the navy officials, Namhae, which is being built under the Mine Sweeper Hunter (MSH) Phase II program, will be deployed in February 2022 after undergoing a series of sea trials.