S.Korea Launches First 8,200-ton KDX III Batch II Destroyer

South Korea’s Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) launched Jeongjo the Great, the lead ship of the KDX (Gwanggaeto)-III Batch-II destroyer project.

Launching ceremony was held at HHI shipyard in Ulsan on Thursday morning.

The KDX-III Batch II program calls for the construction of three Aegis destroyers, one to be delivered every two years. Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) signed a $565 million contract with HHI in October 2019 to build the first destroyers for the Navy.

The three existing 7,600-ton KDX-III Batch I Aegis destroyers of the ROKN are based on the DDG 51 Arleigh Burke-class of the U.S. Navy.

Jeongjo the Great will be handed over to the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) by November 2024.

The 170m-long, 21m-wide stealthy destroyer is equipped with the newest Aegis combat system with Raytheon SM-3 Block IBs which are capable of not only detecting and tracking ballistic missiles but also intercepting them. It will be able to carry MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopters that the country plans to start introducing in 2024. The ship can reach speeds of 30 knots and accommodate 300 sailors.