South Korea Navy commissions KSS-III class submarine Anh Mu


According to information published by the South Korean MoD on April 25, 2023, the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) has formally accepted the Jang Bogo III class Batch I Ahn Mu.
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Russian Vyborg Shipyard laid the Purga ice class coastguard ship of project 23550 925 001 KSS-III submarine ROKS Shin Chae-ho. (Picture source: South Korean Armed Forces)


The ROKS Ahn Mu has a displacement of 3,358 tons when surfaced and 3,750 tons when submerged. The vessel has a length of 83.5 meters (273 feet 11 inches) and a beam of 9.6 meters (31 feet 6 inches). The draught of the submarine is 7.62 meters (25 feet 0 inches).

The submarine can operate various weapons such as guided missiles, torpedoes, and mines using a horizontal launching system, and possesses a strategic strike capability during crises by launching ballistic missiles (SLBM) from vertical launching systems.

Despite its larger hull compared to existing Jang Bogo-Ⅰ/Ⅱ class submarines, the latest noise reduction technologies, such as acoustic non-reflective coating and double elastic mounts, have been applied, ensuring stealth superior to the existing Jang Bogo-Ⅱ class submarines.

The ROKS Ahn Mu also has a long underwater operational endurance with a domestically developed air-independent propulsion system using fuel cell technology, making it capable of ocean operations with long-range navigation capabilities.

Moreover, domestically developed combat and sonar systems have been installed. The sonar system, in particular, boasts superior detection capabilities compared to the existing Jang Bogo-Ⅱ class.

After entering service today, the ROKS Ahn Mu submarine will undergo approximately 8 months of power deployment training and operational performance evaluation before being deployed in real combat in 2024, serving as a national strategic weapon responding to all-around threats.