Article Posted on : - Jul 04, 2014

A Type 214 class submarine of S Korea. An RoKN photo

ULSAN, S KOREA (BNS): South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries (HII) has launched the fifth Type 214 class diesel-electric attack submarine for the country's Navy.

The underwater vessel, featuring Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) technology, was launched at HII headquarters in Ulsan on July 3.

The new sub, named Yun Bong-gil, has a displacement of 1,800-ton. With a length of 65 m and width of 7 m, it can sail at a maximum speed of 20 knots with a crew of 40.

The submarine can dive up to 400 m deep and last two weeks under water with fuel cells, according to the shipbuilder.

Equipped with guided missiles, including the indigenous Haeseong ship-to-ship missile, torpedoes and mines, the vessel also features an automatic simultaneous target tracking system and a torpedo guidance and detection system.

It is slated to be delivered to the Republic of Korea Navy's (RoKN) by the end of 2015.

HII has also delivered the first, second, and third Type 214 class submarines to the RoKN and is currently building the seventh and ninth submarines of the same class.

The RoKN has placed order for a total of nice Type 214 class submarines being built by the HII and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME).

The fourth vessel was launched by the DSME in August 2013.

The South Korean Navy currently operates over 10 submarines, including 1,200-ton Type 209 subs and 1,800-ton Type 214 subs and plans to acquire nine 3,000-ton level heavy-attack submarines after 2020.