Breaking news
South Korea Navy officially receives Daegu class frigate Pohang.
According to information published by Yonhap News Agency on March 2, 2023, the new Daegu class frigate Pohang has been delivered to the Republic of Korea Navy.
Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link
ROK Navy's Daegu class frigate Pohang. (Picture source: South Korean MoD)
The Daegu-class frigates have a displacement of 3,100 tonnes when empty and 3,592 tonnes when fully loaded. They are 122 meters (400 feet 3 inches) in length, 14 meters (45 feet 11 inches) in beam, and have a draft of 4 meters (13 feet 1 inch).
The frigates are powered by a combined diesel-electric or gas propulsion system, which includes 1 Rolls-Royce MT30 gas turbine, 4 MTU 12V 4000 M53B diesel engines, and 2 Leonardo DRS electric motors.
This allows them to reach a maximum speed of 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph) and a range of 4,500 nautical miles (8,300 km; 5,200 mi) at cruising speed of 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph).
The frigates are equipped with various sensors and processing systems, including the SPS-550K air search 3D radar, SPG-540K fire control radar, SQS-240K hull-mounted sonar, SQR-250K towed array sonar system, SAQ-540K EOTS, Hanwha Systems SAQ-600K IRSTs, and the Naval Shield Integrated Combat Management System.
They are also equipped with LIG Nex1 SLQ-200(V)K Sonata electronic warfare suite, SLQ-261K torpedo acoustic countermeasures, and MASS decoy launchers.
For armament, the Daegu-class frigates have a 5-inch (127 mm)/L62 caliber Mk 45 Mod 4 naval gun, a 20 mm Phalanx CIWS, two triple torpedo tubes for K745 Blue Shark torpedo, and 8 SSM-700K Haeseong Anti-ship Missiles.
They also have a 16-cell K-VLS (Vertical Launching System) that can accommodate the following: Haegung K-SAAM quadpacked in 4 per cell, Haeryong VL-Tactical Land Attack Missiles, and K-ASROC Red Shark.
The frigates can carry one medium-lift helicopter, such as the Super Lynx or AW159, and have a flight deck and an enclosed hangar to support its operations. The crew complement for the Daegu-class frigates is 140 personnel.