S.Korean Navy Receives Third Jang Bogo-III Batch-I Submarine

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) held a delivery and handover ceremony for the Shin Chae-ho, the third 3,000-ton submarine independently designed and built using Korean technology.

The event took place at the HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Ulsan Shipyard on Thursday, April 4.

The Shin Chae-ho is the third vessel following the Dosan Ahn Chang-ho (delivered in 2021) and the Chomue (delivered in 2023), as part of the "Jang Bogo-III Batch-I" project initiated in 2007.

At the ceremony, attended by officials from major related organizations such as the Korean Navy, Defense Agency for Technology and Quality, and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, as well as representatives from nine overseas countries including the United States, Poland, and Australia, the Shin Chae-ho was officially presented and handed over to the Navy.

The submarine boasts domestically produced major core equipment, including combat/sonar systems. It is equipped with a vertical launch tube capable of operating submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) and features advanced technologies such as the Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system and noise reduction technology.

The delivery of the Shin Chae-ho marks the completion of the first phase of South Korea's strategic submarine project. The Shin Chae-ho will now undergo an eight-month operational capability evaluation before being deployed in the Navy.

Key military officials from nine overseas countries attended the ceremony, indicating heightened international interest in South Korea's submarine production capabilities.

Looking forward, the DAPA plans to unveil maintenance and training equipment for the Navy's submarine operation unit, along with the construction facility for Jang Bogo-III Batch-II, manufactured by Hanwha Ocean.