Equipped with Advanced Domestically Developed Integrated Sensor Mast (ISM)
Expected to Serve as a Combat Ship with Enhanced Anti-Air and Anti-Submarine Capabilities
The Republic of Korea Navy and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration held the launching ceremony for the Ulsan-class Batch-III No. 2 ship, Gyeongbuk, at SK Ocean Plant in Goseong, South Gyeongsang Province, on June 20.
The Gyeongbuk is the second vessel of the Ulsan-class Batch-III, designed to replace the Navy’s aging frigates (FF: Frigate) and patrol combat corvettes (PCC: Patrol Combat Corvette).
Yang Yongmo, Chief of Naval Operations, and his wife, along with event officials, are participating in a safety navigation prayer ceremony.
The Gyeongbuk, which is being designed and built domestically, signed its construction contract with SK Ocean Plant in December 2021, followed by a keel laying ceremony in 2023 and a launching ceremony in 2024, culminating in this launching event.
Following naval tradition, the launching ceremony featured Choi Hye-kyung, wife of Yang Yongmo, Chief of Naval Operations and the event’s principal guest, cutting the launching rope attached to the vessel. This act symbolizes breathing life into the newly built ship, akin to cutting an umbilical cord for a newborn baby. Subsequently, Yang Yongmo and his wife, along with key guests, cut multicolored ribbons and broke a bottle of champagne on the hull as part of a safety navigation prayer ceremony.
In his congratulatory address, Yang Yongmo, Chief of Naval Operations, stated, "The newly launched Gyeongbuk is a warship that embodies Korea’s outstanding shipbuilding and defense science technologies. It is equipped with an advanced combat system, precision detection equipment, and powerful armaments, all developed by our own hands, and will perfectly fulfill its mission to safeguard national interests and the lives of our people at sea. I expect the Gyeongbuk, launched today, to play a leading role in the fleet and to fully carry out its mission to protect Korea’s seas."
The launching ceremony of the Ulsan-class Batch-III No. 2 ship, Gyeongbuk, is being held at SK Ocean Plant in Goseong County.
The Gyeongbuk, the Navy’s second 3,600-ton frigate, measures 129 meters in length, 14.8 meters in width, and 38.9 meters in height. Its main armaments include a 5-inch naval gun, Korean Vertical Launching System (KVLS), anti-ship guided missile defense missiles, ship-to-ship guided missiles, tactical ship-to-ground guided missiles, and long-range anti-submarine torpedoes.
The Gyeongbuk is a vessel that demonstrates Korea’s advanced defense capabilities, as it is equipped with domestically produced combat systems, key detection equipment, and weaponry.
Notably, the Gyeongbuk is fitted with a domestically developed Multifunctional Phased Array Radar (MFR). This four-sided fixed phased array radar, similar to the Aegis radar, can detect and track both air and surface targets in all directions and simultaneously respond to multiple aerial threats. In contrast, previous Batch-I (Incheon-class) and Batch-II (Daegu-class) frigates operate separate rotating surveillance and tracking radars.
Additionally, the Gyeongbuk’s mast uses the Integrated Sensor Mast (ISM) system, which incorporates advanced scientific technologies. The ISM features a four-sided fixed multifunctional phased array radar and infrared search and tracking equipment and is designed with stealth characteristics.
The Gyeongbuk’s propulsion system employs the same hybrid propulsion method as the Batch-II (Daegu-class), minimizing underwater radiated noise. It also operates a hull-mounted sonar (HMS) and a towed array sonar system (TASS), both developed with domestic technology, providing excellent anti-submarine warfare capabilities.
Bang Geukcheol, head of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration’s Base Power Project Division, stated, "The Gyeongbuk is a state-of-the-art frigate equipped with a multifunctional phased array radar based on advanced domestic science and technology. Successfully building a warship at a new shipyard has expanded both the technological capabilities of the shipbuilding industry and the foundation of the defense industry."
The Gyeongbuk will undergo a trial and evaluation period before being delivered to the Navy in June 2026, after which it will be operationally deployed following the force integration process.
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