Article Posted on : - Aug 14, 2013

An unrelated photo of a submarine

GEOJE ISLAND, SOUTH KOREA (BNS): The South Korean Navy has launched its fourth Type 214 submarine strengthening its underwater warfare capabilities.

The 1,800-ton ship, named after Korea's famous independence fighter Kim Jwa-jin, was launched on Tuesday in a ceremony held at Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering's shipyard in Geoje Island, a report by Yonhap said.

South Korea's first female president Park Geun-hye and commander in chief of the country's armed forces performed the ship-launching ceremony. Defence Minister Kim Kwan-jin and senior military officials were also present on the occasion.

According to the report, the ship, the fourth of its kind in operation since 2010, can hit 300 targets simultaneously.

It is equipped with ship-to-land missiles and torpedoes as well as an advanced sonar system for anti-submarine warfare, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

The diesel-powered submarine is operated by Air Independent Propulsion (AIP), which extends the ship's submerged endurance compared to conventional submarines.

The AIP system enables the crew to carry out underwater missions for several weeks without the need to access atmospheric oxygen, it said.

The submarine will be delivered to the Navy in 2014 and deployed in 2015.

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, the report said.