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.
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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.
