DPRK Navy ships

[SK2]

I know I'd be looking at either a more capable version of something they have in the fleet already, or a class that does something the fleet as a whole needs that it doesn't currently have right now.

So yes, adding an AAW ship makes sense, and or an AAW/ASW ship to give their missile subs a bastion to work in.

I would suggest AAW and ASW corvettes instead of FACs, that can buy time to defend their SSBs to and from combat patrol

 

[ValiantHeart]

But don't they have something with an equivalent weapons load?

Now that's a huge NO. Their indigenous designs can carry only 4-8 missile at best.

 

[Scott Kenny]

Now that's a huge NO. Their indigenous designs can carry only 4-8 missile at best.

I'm not sure it's worth fitting more than 8x Harpoon-class missiles onto any given ship (note that the USN didn't fit more than 8x onto the CGs and DDGs, I think only the BBs got 4 sets of launchers).

So is it worth building a whole new class to get 16x AShMs per ship?

 

[Dilandu]

I'm not sure it's worth fitting more than 8x Harpoon-class missiles onto any given ship (note that the USN didn't fit more than 8x onto the CGs and DDGs, I think only the BBs got 4 sets of launchers).

So is it worth building a whole new class to get 16x AShMs per ship?

Just made a VL-capable ASM, seriously!

 

[SK2]

Just made a VL-capable ASM, seriously!

It depends, if you are putting them to corvettes maybe, but if you are putting them on FACs it's wasting space (and harming stability of the vessel)

 

[ValiantHeart]

Just made a VL-capable ASM, seriously!

The VLS launcher may be too expensive for North Korea to field en masse (though I do hope they come up with an indigenous Karakurt design). Tilting launchers mounted on stands, on the other hand, would be cheaper and more economical to equip large numbers of ships.

 

[TomS]

I'm not sure it's worth fitting more than 8x Harpoon-class missiles onto any given ship (note that the USN didn't fit more than 8x onto the CGs and DDGs, I think only the BBs got 4 sets of launchers).

So is it worth building a whole new class to get 16x AShMs per ship?

OTOH, many new Western frigate designs are getting 16 NSM or equivalent, which is similar in size.

 

[Scott Kenny]

OTOH, many new Western frigate designs are getting 16 NSM or equivalent, which is similar in size.

Fair point, but don't NSMs data link and call their targets to minimize the chances of one ship drawing all the missiles?

I'm not sure a heavy missile load is compatible without that ability. You'd want more missile carrying craft to get more angles of attack on the target formation.

 

[KonTim]

North Korea building second warship of largest new class on east coast: Report | NK PRO

North Korea is building a second warship of its largest new class in Chongjin on the east coast, according to an SI Analytics nK Insight report released Tuesday, following state media’s recent reveal of the first such ship on the west coast. Construction on the vessel started in May 2024 at the...

www.nknews.org

 

[ValiantHeart]

It looks like the ship will have VLS installed at both her bow and stern.

Wonder if it will have a helicopter hangar or helipad (most likely not).

 

[Dilandu]

Wonder if it will have a helicopter hangar or helipad (most likely not).

Likely not. As far as I know, North Korean only ever installed helipad on one ship - the experimental Soho-class (tentatively named) catamaran frigate - and it's possible that they weren't exactly satisfied with the results:

 

[ValiantHeart]

Likely not. As far as I know, North Korean only ever installed helipad on one ship - the experimental Soho-class (tentatively named) catamaran frigate - and it's possible that they weren't exactly satisfied with the results:

View attachment 760143

Which had more to do with their lack of a dedicated anti-submarine helicopter than anything else, even until now.

That said, if they wanted a lightweight helicopter that could be converted into an ASW helicopter for use on warships, I wonder why they didn't choose the Mi-2?.... hey, maybe if a helipad and hangar were to be seen on this new warship class, the Mi-2 would probably be a good candidate.

 

[Scott Kenny]

That said, if they wanted a lightweight helicopter that could be converted into an ASW helicopter for use on warships, I wonder why they didn't choose the Mi-2?.... hey, maybe if a helipad and hangar were to be seen on this new warship class, the Mi-2 would probably be a good candidate.

Because an Mi-2 Hoplite only has ~1300lbs useful load? And a single APR-3E Russian lightweight torpedo is 1200lbs? The Chinese Yu-7 LWT is ~550lbs, but the successor Yu-11 is longer and heavier, probably on the order of 800lbs (the Mk50 is ~800lbs).

So it's either carrying sensors OR a weapon.

You need more like 8000lbs payload to haul sonobuoys, dipping sonar, 3-4 crew, and a pair of torpedoes or depth charges.

 

[ValiantHeart]

The destroyer/frigate that North Korea is building will likely be comparable to China's Type 054A class, after comparing the length and width of the ship.

It will be much more heavily armed though, considering it will have fixed phased array radars on the superstructure and two VLSs on the bow and stern.

I mean, if this ship is of Chinese origin (or at least has some connection), it would make sense, since China has been known to export weapons with very high levels of customization to suit the requirements of its customers.

 

[Ainen]

I mean, if this ship is of Chinese origin (or at least has some connection), it would make sense, since China has been known to export weapons with very high levels of customization to suit the requirements of its customers.

I'd argue it's absolutely unlikely there's any Chinese link, and it's too early for any Russian(other than maybe money inflow from trade).
If there are some technological links - it's, as usual, Iran.