Article Posted on : - Jul 11, 2017

The new 1,800-ton submarine, Yu Gwan-sun, of South Korean Navy in this file photo provided by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA). Image Courtesy: Yonhap

SEOUL (BNS): To further beef up its underwater warfare capability against North Korea, the South Korean Navy has taken delivery of a new 1,800-ton conventional attack submarine from Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co (DSME).

The underwater platform, named "Yu Gwan-sun", is the sixth Type 214 class of diesel-electric attack submarine built for the Navy. The submarine was launched in May 2015.

The official delivery ceremony of the submarine was held at DSME's facility on Geoje Island near the southeastern port city of Busan on Monday, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced, as per a news report in the official Yonhap news agency.

The Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN) plans to commission the new submarine in December 2017 after training crew members, the news report said.

The Type 214 class of platforms are armed with indigenous Haeseong ship-to-ship cruise missiles, torpedoes and mines for anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare operations.

The sub's maximum underwater speed is 20 knots, which enables it to travel between South Korea and Hawaii without refuelling.

The submarines have been fitted with Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system, which bolsters their submerged endurance and allows the crew to carry out underwater missions for up to two weeks without access to atmospheric oxygen.

The South Korean Navy has placed order for a total of nine Type 214 class of submarines which are being built by the Hyundai Heavy Industries (HII) and DSME.