【By Observer Net, Mountain Cat】
According to the U.S. Naval Institute News, on November 4 local time, South Korea is promoting its KSS-III conventional submarine to the Philippines. The report said that during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum held in Gyeongju, South Korea last week, Hanwha Ocean presented an export version of the 2800-ton KSS-III submarine to Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos (hereinafter referred to as "Makos") in an informal setting, promoting related arms sales projects. In a news release, the Philippine Presidential Communications Office stated that Hanwha Ocean's executives introduced the KSS-III PN (PN refers to the Philippine Navy version) submarine plan to the Philippine president. This submarine is equipped with modern sonar and combat systems, as well as new lithium batteries to improve underwater endurance. The plan will also "enhance the Philippines' autonomous military capabilities" through cooperation with local Philippine defense companies and technology transfer.
The self-use model of the KSS-III conventional submarine is the "Isan Anchangho" class, which is the most recent and advanced submarine in service with the Republic of Korea Navy. Compared to the KSS-I "Jang Bogo" class produced by introducing the German 209 type, and the KSS-II "Son Yun-bok" class with 214 type submarine technology localized, the KSS-III has undergone significant independent design, and its displacement has also increased significantly. The first ship of the second batch of the KSS-III, the "Jang Young-sil", was launched last month on the 22nd, further increasing the size and the number of ballistic missile launch tubes. The lithium battery equipment introduced by Hanwha Ocean is exactly the latest improvement applied to the "Jang Young-sil" class of the second batch of the KSS-III. In addition to the Philippines, Canada and Peru have also sought South Korean submarine products or technology exports. Canadian Prime Minister Marc Garneau also visited the Hanwha Ocean Geoje Shipyard last week and toured the newly launched "Jang Young-sil".
(Photo) The first ship of the KSS-III first batch, "Isan Anchangho" of the Republic of Korea Navy
The "Jang Young-sil" submarine launched on October 22, 2025
Since 2012, the Philippines has launched the "Horizon" project for the modernization of its armed forces, and the procurement of weapons from South Korea has been on the rise. In the first two stages, the arms sales projects included 4 frigates, 6 offshore patrol vessels, and 12 FA-50 jet light fighter/trainer aircraft. In the latest "Horizon 3", the Philippines plans to purchase 2 attack submarines at a price of 1.7 billion dollars, along with supporting logistics and maintenance facilities, attracting multiple countries to compete for this potential order. These include the joint team of Germany's ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems and Italy's Fincantieri, France's Naval Group, and South Korea's Hanwha Ocean. The German-Italian joint team provides the U212A, while the French side offers the "Scorpene" class, both of which are submarines with displacements of more than 1000 tons but less than 2000 tons. Before being acquired by Hanwha Ocean, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) initially proposed the DSME-1400 PN scheme based on the "Jang Bogo" class, with a displacement of about 1400 tons in 2022. Its predecessor, the DSME-1400, had already won an order from Indonesia in 2011, named the "Nagapasa" class. The first two ships were manufactured in South Korea and delivered in 2017 and 2018 respectively, and the last one was assembled in Indonesia's PT PAL shipyard and completed and commissioned in 2021.
Model of the DSME 1400PN export submarine displayed by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering for the Philippine military procurement
This development means that Hanwha Ocean has upgraded its bid for the order to the latest product series. Before being acquired by Hanwha, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) launched two specifications of export submarines based on the KSS-III "Isan Anchangho" class, a slightly smaller DSME-2000 and a larger DSME-3000 (the numbers represent displacement). According to the report, the export version of the KSS-III PN in South Korea removed the vertical launch tubes used for launching ballistic missiles from the self-use model and added lithium batteries to enhance its endurance. At the same time, the relevant quotation also includes the cost of building a submarine base and logistics facilities in the user country.
Model of the DSME-2000 export submarine, featuring a larger hull and streamlined sail compared to the DSME 1400
However, the report also mentioned that Philippine military and political officials previously stated that due to the ongoing needs for activities in the South China Sea, the submarine project may have already been prioritized over the demand for "purchasing more surface warships and sensors." Although South Korea may still win additional orders for possible surface warship procurement in the Philippines, this submarine export project may be affected.
This article is an exclusive piece by Observer Net, and it is not allowed to be reprinted without permission.
Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7569159876149051942/
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