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| Sejong the Great class Destroyer |
South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced last week that Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) was selected as contractor for “KDX-III Batch-II Design and construction of the first hull”. The existing 7,600-ton KDX-III Batch I Aegis destroyers of the Republic of Korea Navy (ROK Navy) are based on the DDG 51 class of the US Navy.
In December 2013, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff decided to increase the number of Aegis destroyers from the current three to six by 2027 to strengthen its maritime combat capabilities against possible provocation from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
While all three destroyers of the second batch will likely not be build by HHI (most ROK Navy orders are split between HHI and DSME the two largest Korean naval shipyards), the Batch II will be designed by Hyundai. Delivery timetable is 2021 for launch of first ship after keel laying in 2020.
Read the full story at Navy Recognition