The highlight of the '2025 Republic of Korea Navy Fleet Review,' the naval parade and training demonstration, will take place on September 26, 2025.
The Navy announced that on this day, it would conduct the naval parade and training demonstration for the '2025 Republic of Korea Navy Fleet Review' in the waters near Busan. The event will feature 31 naval vessels, including Aegis destroyers (DDG), 3,000-ton class submarines (SS-III), large transport ships (LPH), and landing ships (LST-II). In addition, 18 aircraft from the Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force, and Coast Guard, as well as unmanned surface vehicles and unmanned aerial vehicles, will participate.
The event will be attended by 300 people, including Minister of National Defense Ahn Gyu-baek, who will serve as the presiding officer, along with officials from the military, government ministries, the National Assembly, and related organizations. They will board the landing ship Ilchulbong (LST-II, 4,900 tons), which serves as the flagship for the parade. Additionally, approximately 2,100 invited guests, including 360 members of the public participation group, will board the large transport ship Marado (LPH, 14,500 tons) and the landing ship Nojeokbong (LST-II, 4,900 tons) as spectator vessels.
Furthermore, the Jeongjo the Great (DDG, 8,200 tons), the Navy's latest Aegis destroyer and a core asset of the maritime-based Korean three-axis system, will serve as the command ship for the naval parade. The previous day, under the supervision of Chief of Naval Operations Kang Donggil, around 2,400 members of the public participation group, military personnel, and their families observed the naval parade and training demonstration.
The aerial parade will consist of eight formations, beginning with the entry of one Navy P-8A maritime patrol aircraft and two Air Force F-15K fighter jets. To commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Navy's founding, the P-8A will fire 80 flares. This will be followed by two Lynx maritime operation helicopters, two of the Navy's latest MH-60R maritime operation helicopters introduced this year, two UH-60 utility helicopters, two Marine Corps MUH-1 amphibious helicopters, two Army AH-64 attack helicopters, two Coast Guard helicopters, and three Air Force FA-50 light attack aircraft flying in succession.
The surface vessel parade will begin with the mobile fleet, a core component of the maritime three-axis system, followed by the Navy's power generation unit, regional fleets, mine warfare, rescue operations, and related agency assets. Representing the mobile fleet, which was established in February this year, the Aegis destroyer Sejong the Great (DDG, 7,600 tons) and the destroyer Wang Geon (DDH-II, 4,400 tons) will maneuver in sequence, followed by the latest frigate Chungnam (FFG, 3,200 tons). Representing the Navy's power generation unit, the first domestically built frigate Ulsan-class frigate Busan (FF, 1,500 tons), the patrol combat corvette Gwangmyeong (PCC, 1,000 tons), and a squadron of patrol killer medium boats (PKM, 130 tons) will appear.
Representing the regional fleet, the destroyer Yang Manchun (DDH-I, 3,200 tons), the frigate Incheon (FFG, 2,500 tons), the guided missile patrol killer Jo Cheonhyeong (PKG, 450 tons), and the new patrol killer medium rocket (PKMR, 230 tons) will participate. For mine warfare, the minelayer Nampo (MLS-II, 3,000 tons) and the minesweeper Goseong (MSH, 730 tons) will maneuver, while for rescue operations, the surface rescue ship Tongyeong (ATS-II, 3,500 tons) and the submarine rescue ship Ganghwado (ASR-II, 5,600 tons) will follow in succession.
The submarine parade will feature the Park Wi (SS-I, 1,200 tons), the Lee Beomseok (SS-II, 1,800 tons), and the Shin Chaeho, the third 3,000-ton class submarine (SS-III) built with indigenous Korean technology, sailing in order. All vessels participating in the naval parade will salute the flagship and spectator ships as they pass by each other.
After the naval parade, an anti-submarine warfare training demonstration will be held. The P-8A maritime patrol aircraft will drop sonar buoys, and the MH-60R maritime operation helicopter will deploy a dipping sonar to detect and track underwater submarines. Subsequently, the Lynx maritime operation helicopter will drop a Cheongsangeo (lightweight torpedo) training torpedo, demonstrating anti-submarine warfare procedures.
The naval firepower training demonstration will simulate a scenario responding to enemy vessels using both manned and unmanned assets. First, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) will take off from the flight deck of the spectator ship Nojeokbong for a maritime reconnaissance mission. While conducting maritime reconnaissance, an unmanned surface vehicle (USV) will maneuver at high speed, approach a simulated enemy vessel, and conduct warning shots. Then, four warships-destroyer Kang Gamchan (DDH-II, 4,400 tons), frigate Gyeongnam (FFG, 3,100 tons), guided missile patrol killer Han Sanguk (PKG, 450 tons), and the new patrol killer medium rocket (PKMR, 230 tons)-will simultaneously fire their naval guns to strike the enemy vessel.
The command ship Jeongjo the Great will salute the flagship and spectator ships carrying Minister of National Defense and over 2,400 citizens and report the conclusion of the naval parade. The Navy stated, "We organized this fleet review to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Navy's founding with the public and to raise awareness of the importance of maritime security and the vision of becoming a global maritime power." The Navy added, "Through this fleet review, we plan to actively promote the development of Korea's defense industry and the 'K-Shipbuilding' sector by showcasing domestically built Aegis destroyers, the latest frigates, and 3,000-ton class submarines as part of the 'K-Maritime Defense Industry' to both domestic and international audiences."
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