Four more PKX-B-class Chamsuri II-class patrol boats for Republic Of Korea Navy.

According to a publication released on the Facebook account of the ROK (Republic of Korea) Navy on December 13, 2019, Hanjin Heavy Industry Co. Ltd., a South Korean shipbuilding company has launched four more PKX-B Chamsuri II-class second Patrol Killer Experimental-B (PKX-B)-class patrol boat for the Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN).

The four Chamsuri-II Class Patrol Boats of ROK Navy. (Picture source Facebook account ROK Navy)

In November 2019, it was announced that South Korean Ministry of National Defense has ordered four more Patrol Killer Experimental-B (PKX-B) fast attack crafts, alternatively known as the Chamsuri 211-class.

The first Chamsuri-II Class Patrol Boat entered in service in October of 2017, with three more to be delivered by the end of the current year. The four vessels are expected to be delivered by the end of 2022.

These vessels are armed with one Hyundai Wia 76 mm gun located at the front deck, 2 S&T Dynamics K6 12.7 mm machine guns and LIG Nex1/Hanwha 130mm guided rocket launcher. The launcher consists of 12 canisters that fire a single guided rocket each. Initially guided through a combination of GPS, INS, and Date Uplink through the mid-course then switching to IIR homing, the rockets have a maximum range of over 20 Km and a minimum range of 3 Km. They can defend against or attack over 3 simultaneously, fulfilling their design purpose of countering the North Korean Navy’s fast attack crafts and hovercrafts swarm attacks.

The PKX-B Batch I class is a 200-ton high-speed fast attack craft that replaces the aging Chamsuri-class of patrol vessels. Sword Eagle B leads. The vessel is 44.7 meters in length. Its speed is 35 to 40 knots. It is powered by GE 6,000 shp LM 500 gas-turbine and Caterpillar Marine's Cat C32 diesel engines in a combined diesel and gas (CODAG) configuration.