Journal of Military Observation: South Korea's New Destroyer Launched, Performance Exceeds US Equivalent
The new South Korean navy destroyer "Dasan Jeong Yak-yong".
American military magazine "Military Watch Magazine" (abbreviated as MWM) reported that the new South Korean navy destroyer "Dasan Jeong Yak-yong" has greatly enhanced the strength of the South Korean navy and introduced the performance of the ship and its role in anti-missile defense. The Russian "Pravda" website published a translated version of the article.
This ship is the second vessel of the "Jeongjo the Great" class (KDX-III Batch-II Jeongjo the Great) destroyers. The performance of this new vessel places it among the most advanced surface combat ships in the world. This class of destroyers has a standard displacement of about 12,000 tons, slightly smaller in size than China's Type 055 destroyers; compared to the U.S. "Arleigh Burke" class destroyers with a displacement of 9,700 tons, its displacement is approximately 24% higher.
One of the most notable features of this new destroyer is the integration of the American Mk 41 vertical launch system with the Korean domestically developed KVLS and KVLS-II vertical launch systems. In terms of armament configuration, the ship has 48 units of the Mk 41 vertical launch system, 16 units of the K-VLS vertical launch system, and 24 units of the KVLS-II vertical launch system. Among them, the Mk 41 system can carry the "Standard-3" (SM-3) and "Standard-6" (SM-6) air defense missiles, and the "Standard-6" missile also has limited short-range anti-ship capabilities; the K-VLS system can launch South Korean domestic short-range air defense missiles; the KVLS-II system can carry the "Long-Range Surface-to-Air Missile" (L-SAM), and it is planned to have the capability to carry ballistic missiles in the future.
The "Jeongjo the Great" class destroyers are equipped with four gas turbines and two auxiliary power units, with a design focus on anti-missile defense — this design approach stems from the growing and increasingly diverse North Korean ballistic missile arsenal, which poses a security challenge. The development of the Korean domestically developed KVLS and KVLS-II systems fully considers the compatibility needs for next-generation interception weapons, and the South Korean defense industry is gradually becoming a leader in global anti-missile technology.
Since 2021, North Korea has begun testing missiles equipped with hypersonic glide warheads, raising concerns about whether existing anti-missile systems can achieve comprehensive defense, and presenting new challenges for anti-missile defense planning.
The "Dasan Jeong Yak-yong" will undergo sea trials and officially join the South Korean navy by the end of 2026. It is expected to be deployed under the command of the South Korean navy's mobile fleet command. The commissioning of this ship will further strengthen the strength of the South Korean destroyer force — currently, the scale and combat power of the South Korean destroyer force rank fourth globally, behind the navies of the United States, China, and Japan.
Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7552009248645988905/
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