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THAAD news
US Hopes To Send Anti-Missile System to South Korea 'as Quickly as Possible'

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The placement of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system on the Korean Peninsula is going to happen, Defense SecretaryAsh Carter said Friday.

Asked at the Council of Foreign Relations if THAAD systems would be placed on the peninsula, Carter was direct, saying “Oh, it’s gonna happen.”

“It’s a necessary thing. It's between us and the South Korea, it about protecting our own forces on the Korean peninsula and about protecting South Korea. It has nothing to do with the Chinese,” Carter said. “We need to defend our own people, we need to defend our own allies.”

Following the recent spate of North Korean missile tests, South Korea officially opened discussion with the US on placing THAAD in South Korea. But the question of setting up a THAAD system has been a tense one with China, which views the radar system as a way for the US to spy into its territory. Each THAAD unit consists of six truck-mounted launchers, 49 interceptors, a fire control and communications unit, and an AN/TPY-2 radar.

Chinese officials have publicly attempted to dissuade the US and South Korea from coming to an agreement on THAAD, leading Adm. Harry Harris, head of US Pacific Command, to hit back in a February briefing.

“China's interference in a decision that's to be made between alliance partners — the Republic of Korea and the United States — their inference in that process is preposterous, especially when you consider that THAAD is not a threat to China,” Harris said.

Like Harris, Carter Friday cast the THAAD issue as one between the US and South Korea, but said he was “quite encouraged” by strengthening bilateral ties between Seoul and Beijing.

He added he wished “the Chinese would work with us, or work bilaterally with North Korea more effectively bilaterally, although it’s easy to say that… at heading off the missile challenge in the first place.”

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South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced today that Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) was selected as contractor for “KSS-III Batch-II Design and construction of the first hull”.

The North Korean SLBM launch last month led South Korea's Ministry of National Defense to disclose some details on the KSS-III Batch-II plan ahead of contract announcement.

On April 25, there was a Congressional Hearing session held immediately after North Korea's SLBM launch, which raised some important questions about the ROK Navy's submarine capabilities to counter this threat.

In response to questions whether ROK Navy was currently developing capabilities to counter SLBM threat, the ministry confirmed that KSS-III Batch-II will undergo redesign process before construction (lasting until December 30, 2018) to accommodate some important capability upgrades. These upgrades will give the Batch-II Submarines better capabilities at both attacking strategic land-based facilities and performing anti-submarine warfare.

Expected changes of Batch-II compared to Batch-I:
» Lengthened hull (bringing displacement approx. from 3000t to 4000t)
» Increase of VLS cells from 6 to 10
» Indigenous combat system and sensors
» LiB and, potentially, High-Temperature Superconductor (HTS) motor for integrated full electric propulsion system

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South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced last week that Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) was selected as contractor for “KDX-III Batch-II Design and construction of the first hull”. The existing 7,600-ton KDX-III Batch I Aegis destroyers of the Republic of Korea Navy (ROK Navy) are based on the DDG 51 class of the US Navy.

In December 2013, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff decided to increase the number of Aegis destroyers from the current three to six by 2027 to strengthen its maritime combat capabilities against possible provocation from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

While all three destroyers of the second batch will likely not be build by HHI (most ROK Navy orders are split between HHI and DSME the two largest Korean naval shipyards), the Batch II will be designed by Hyundai. Delivery timetable is 2021 for launch of first ship after keel laying in 2020.

According to early information and rumors, KDX-III Batch-II will feature Hybrid-Electric Drive (HED) and BMD 5.1 system. Depending on export agreements, the vessels may receive gallium nitride technology radar components from Japan. The new class will also benefit from an improved electronic warfare suite (Sonata Next Generation), enhanced stealth features and indigenous hull-mounted sonar and active towed aray. Finally, KDX-III Batch-II may be the first South Korean vessel class to be fitted with directed energy weapons (not initially but as part of an upgrade).

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Especially with 16 VLS cells

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Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) launched the lead ship of the new Daegu-class FFX-II frigate for the Republic of Korea Navy (ROK Navy) on June 2, 2016. Key updates of the Batch II over the ASW-focused Batch I include VLS and full electric propulsion system, as well as a larger hangar that can accomodate a 10-ton helicopter (FFX-I has hangar for lighter helicopters like AW159).

Contacted by Navy Recognition, a DSME reprensentative said that first ship of the class ROKS-818, Daegu will be delivered to ROK Navy in late 2017 and will be commissioned in late 2018.

FFX-II is not fitted with Mk 41 VLS buth with KVLS meaning it will deploy Korean missiles (most probably designed by LIG Nex 1).

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