South Korea develops lithium-ion battery for new Jang Bogo-III Class diesel-electric powered attack submarine.

According to information published by the South Korean arms procurement agency on September 24, 2020, South Korea in on the process to develop a lithium-ion battery to be used on the new Jang Bogo-III Class diesel-electric powered attack submarine.
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New South-Korean Jang Bogo-III Class diesel-electric powered attack submarine. (Picture source Print Screen Military Stuff Videos)

South Korea could start next month, the production of lithium-ion batteries prototype for the new Jang Bogo-III Class submarine currently under development bu the South Korean defense industry.

A lithium-ion battery (abbreviated as LIB) is a type of rechargeable battery. Lithium-ion batteries are commonly used for portable electronics and electric vehicles and are growing in popularity for military and aerospace applications. Research areas for lithium-ion batteries include extending lifetime, increasing energy density, improving safety, reducing cost, and increasing charging speed, among others. Research has been underway in the area of non-flammable electrolytes as a pathway to increased safety based on the flammability and volatility of the organic solvents used in the typical electrolyte.

Citing South Korean newspaper website Yonhap News, the South Korean arms procurement agency plans the production by the first half of next year and deliver the upgraded submarine to the South Korean Navy in 2026. It will be the first submarine in the country to be powered by a lithium-ion battery. The new battery is expected to vastly improve the submarine's underwater time with a lifespan that is twice longer than the lead-acid battery currently underuse, the agency said, adding that the development is underway with safety and reliability as the top priority.

Lithium-ion battery power stacks are being developed to increase the underwater endurance of Jang Bogo-class submarines by two to three times, offering four to five times the power density of Type 209's current lead-acid batteries and as much as twice the power density of Type 214's BZM 120 fuel cells.

The Jang Bogo-III Class also called KSS-II is a new generation of diesel-electric powered attack submarines developed by South Korean companies Daewoo Shipbuilding, Marine Engineering (DSME) and Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI). The first KSS-III submarine will be ready for service by 2026. This new class of submarine will be armed with the Korean Vertical Launching System which will be able to carry up to 10 indigenous Chonryong submarine-launched cruise missiles.

The first KSS-III heavy diesel-electric submarine construction was launched on 17 September 2018. The name of the first ship of KSS-III has been named Dosan An Chang-Ho, thus KSS-III is now named Dosan Chang-Ho-class Submarine. It is expected to undergo 2 years of sea trials before the delivery in 2026 to the South Korean Navy.