In 1945, after the expulsion of the Japanese colonialists, Koreans lived poorer than the aborigines of New Guinea. There was not a single person with higher education in Seoul, and the American interim authorities could not find a Korean capable of driving a tram. The fratricidal war that broke out finally turned the south of the Korean Peninsula into a land of total chaos and devastation. The country was tormented by an acute energy crisis - all hydroelectric power plants remained on the territory of the DPRK. By the end of the 50s, a third of the country's working-age population was unemployed, and GDP per capita was $ 79 - less than in Africa and Latin America.
Now, looking at the shining skyscrapers of Seoul, it's hard to believe that everything was different here half a century ago. The provincial fringe of the world has become the world's leading exporter of marine and automotive technology, electronics and consumer goods.
Shipbuilding is considered one of the locomotives of the South Korean industry. For example, Hyundai is known in the world not only as a manufacturer of cheap cars, but also as a leader in large-tonnage shipbuilding - ocean liner container ships, supertankers, ferries … In total, Hyundai Heavy Industries accounts for 17% of the total world shipbuilding and 30% of the volume production of marine engines!
Koreans do not sit still and aggressively conquer new markets by absorbing their competitors. It is no secret that the Russian Mistral is de facto being built by the South Korean corporation STX, which owns the shipyard in Saint-Nazaire.
The inhabitants of the Korean Peninsula provide a good half of the world with marine technology. At the same time, they never forget about their own interests: the Republic of Korea's navy is the fourth most powerful in the Asia-Pacific region. “Advanced” technologies have been chosen as the key vector of development - without prejudice to the number of ships. The fleet is powerful, modern and plentiful. Unlike the Japanese, who adhere to a strictly defensive concept of the development of their navy, South Korean sailors are actively experimenting with sea-based cruise missiles. Work is underway to create anti-submarine missile torpedoes and anti-submarine missile torpedoes, a self-developed vertical launch unit and an analogue of the Tomahawk (SLCM Hyunmoo-IIIC) have been adopted.
The efforts of the Koreans were generously rewarded - in 2008, the ship, considered the most heavily armed ship in the world, was adopted by the South Korean Navy.
Sejong the Great (DDG-991). Project Korean Destroyer eXperimental-III (KDX-III)
Of course, from a strategic point of view, the destroyer Sejong the Great must be compared with the ships of the DPRK, the main geopolitical enemy of South Korea. For obvious reasons, making such a comparison is difficult. The South Korean super destroyer is completely different from the wooden feluccas and patrol boats built in the 60s.
In terms of the number of missiles installed on it, Sejong the Great makes sense to compare with another sea monster - the nuclear-powered cruiser Peter the Great (both ships undoubtedly deserve the prefix "Great").
144 missiles for various purposes against 124 "Petra" missiles (not counting the self-defense air defense missile systems - "Dagger", "Kortik", RIM-116). If we take into account all the short-range anti-aircraft missiles, then the ratio will be 165 missiles for the "Korean" against 444 missiles of our cruiser.
Of course, comparing ships in terms of the number of missiles seems like a curiosity. How can a 7-ton P-700 "Granite" and a subsonic anti-ship missile system Hae Sung, which has a launch weight of 10 less, be placed in one row?
Nevertheless, the ammunition load of the South Korean ship is one third larger than that of any American or Japanese Aegis destroyer. And in terms of the number of long-range anti-aircraft missiles, anti-submarine rocket torpedoes, anti-ship missiles and SLCMs, Sejon the Great leaves even the Russian super cruiser behind. In fact, according to this indicator, it has no equal in the world (before the commissioning of the modernized TARKR "Admiral Nakhimov").
Unlike the Russian ship, the Sejong the Great is capable of carrying precision weapons to strike targets deep in the coast. The second advantage of the Sejon is that, like any Aegis destroyer, it is equipped with a powerful AN / SPY-1 radar (the most modern modification of the “D”), ideal for monitoring airspace at long distances, incl. at altitudes beyond the atmosphere. However, unlike the Japanese Navy, the Koreans have no plans to equip their destroyers with SM-3 space interceptor missiles.
In general, the capabilities of the Aegis destroyers' air defense system are noticeably exaggerated. The universal AN / SPY-1 radar and the low position of the antenna arrays are an unavoidable drawback of all Orly Berks and their Japanese and South Korean clones. The radar, as it turned out, is not at all "universal" and poorly distinguishes low-flying missiles.
Fire control systems are no less doubtful - "Sejong" is equipped with a standard set of three AN / SPG-62 illumination radars with mechanical scanning in azimuth and elevation. The system is reliable, but 30 years have passed since its inception. Many fleets have appeared much more advanced MSA based on radars with phased array and active radar for anti-aircraft missiles. Only the Yankees and their allies continue to "twist the old hurdy-gurdy."
In addition to standard radars, Sejong's detection suite includes the French Sagem IRST infrared detection system.
Anti-aircraft ammunition "Sejong" consists of 80 long-range missiles SM-2MR Block IIIB made in the United States. Comparison of these ammunition with the Petra anti-aircraft missiles gives the following result: the SM-2MR outperforms the S-300F in firing range and roughly corresponds to the S-300FM in terms of this parameter. The American rocket is more compact and has half the mass, as a result - its flight speed is almost half that of the domestic 46H6E2 rocket, in addition, the SM-2MR is equipped with a warhead of less mass. At the same time, the SM-2MR Block IIIB, in addition to the usual RLGSN, has an active guidance mode in the infrared range (the mode is designed for firing "stealth" and other targets with low ESR).
From other anti-aircraft weapons on board "Sejon" there is a self-defense air defense system RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile - a 21-charge launcher on a movable carriage, in the bow of the superstructure. Technically, RAM missiles are sidewinder short-range airborne missiles with infrared seeker from Stinger MANPADS. Max. launch range - 10,000 meters. Curiously, the Sejong was the first Aegis destroyer to adopt such a system.
The aft corners are covered by another self-defense system - the Goalkeeper seven-barreled automatic cannon. Thanks to high-quality drives and fire controls, high rate of fire and the power of 30 mm shells, the Dutch "Goalkeeper" is considered one of the best systems for this purpose.
Structurally, "Sejong" is an enlarged "Burk" series IIA with increased ammunition and enhanced combat capabilities. The South Korean destroyer is 10 meters longer and one meter wider than its American "progenitor". The total displacement of the Sejong has reached 11 thousand tons and corresponds to the military and missile cruiser Moskva!
Exterior with elements of stealth technology, layout, weapons and a power plant consisting of four LM2500 gas turbines - Sejong inherited most of the features of a typical Aegis destroyer. With all its undoubted advantages and disadvantages.
The displacement reserve was rationally spent on increasing the ammunition and fuel on board: the Sejong's cruising range at a cruising, 20-knot speed increased by 600 miles (5500 miles versus 4890 for the most modern Berks).
Underdeck vertical launch units (VLS) are of particular interest. Compared to the original design, the nose section of the UVP has been increased from 32 to 48 Mk.41 cells. The aft launch missile system has also undergone major changes - the number of Mk.41 cells has been reduced to 32 units. Instead, a little further in the stern, there were 48 cells of the K-VLS UVP of its own Korean production. Thus, the total number of UVP cells on the missile destroyer has reached 128 units.
Ammunition is placed as follows: according to open sources, all 80 original Mk.41 are used to store and launch SM-2MR anti-aircraft missiles. In the cells of the Korean K-VLS, 32 Hyunmoo IIIC cruise missiles and 16 Red Shark anti-submarine missiles (also known as K-ASROC) were pulled into the ground.
"Red Shark" is a typical PLUR with an anti-submarine torpedo as a warhead. The main difference from the American ASROC-VL is the small torpedo: instead of the Mk.50, a 324 mm torpedo of its own design K745 "Blue Shark" is used.
SLCM Hyunmoo IIIC - analogue of "Tomahawk". According to the statement of the Koreans, the missile is capable of launching at a range of 1000 … 1500 km. It is equipped with a 500-kg warhead, but, unlike the Ax, it is capable of supersonic (1, 2M). Cruising altitude - 50 … 100 m. Guidance - INS and GPS.
Launch of SLCM Hyunmoo from one of the ships of the Republic of Korea Navy
Also, the armament of the Korean destroyer includes:
- 16 SSM-700K Hae Sung anti-ship missiles. Small-sized subsonic anti-ship missile, another "national" clone of the American "Harpoon". The missiles are placed in quadruple launchers in the middle of the ship;
- 127 mm universal gun Mk.45 (the latest modification Mod.4 with a barrel length of 62 caliber);
- two anti-submarine systems with small-sized torpedoes "Blue Shark" (a total of six units);
- helipad, hangar for two helicopters - British "Super Links" or Sikorsky SH-60 "Seahok" are used.
Epilogue
The phenomenon of the transformation of a backward agrarian country into one of the leading economies in the world was called "Miracle on the Hangang River". Another fact will sound no less surprising: in the period from 2007 to 2012, the Koreans managed to build three super destroyers!
Sejong the Great (DDG-991) and Seoae Ryu Seong-ryong (DDG-993) were built at the facilities of Hyundai Heavy Industries.
Yulgok Yi I (DDG-992) was built by Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering.
In the near future, the Koreans plan to build six more Aegis destroyers according to the KDX-IIA project. Unlike large "Sejons", the new ships will have a full displacement of 5500 … 7500 tons and will be focused on the conduct of hostilities in the coastal zone. The transfer of ships to the fleet will take place in the period 2019 - 2026.
