South Korean FFX Program

[daewon]

6 of FFX Batch-I has been ordered by the Defence Acquisition Program Agency last year. The first ship is expected to enter service by 2011.
It's still unclear how the ship is going to turn out. It seems that the ROK Navy wants it as sort of a testing platform for indigenous/newly developed technology, such as combat command systems, 3D Search Radar and towed array SONAR.

The initial plan is to get the 6 Batch-Is to replace the current 9 Ulsan class frigates in service. Batch - I is going to be rather lightly armed. With a single 3 inch gun, 8 SSM700K(anti-ship missile), RAM, and a goalkeeper. No SAMs or ASW missiles are planned. It will carry a Lynx ASW helicopter.
Possibly in later versions the ship may carry VLS launchers for korean developed medium range SAMs ans ASW missles.

One of the exciting features of the FFX is going to be its propulsion system. It hasn't been decided but FFX may have electric propulsion instead of conventional diesel/gasoling propulsion.

It will be a ship with enhanced survivability and ASW capabilities compared to the existing Ulsan class frigates. I'd guess that the ROKN will replace the bulk of the Regional Fleets with these.



Planned specification as released by the ROK Navy

Dimensions(m) 124x14x4
Displacement 3100t(full) 2600t
Crew 170
Speed 32kts max/18kts cruise
Range 4500nm
Propulsion Either CODOG or Electric
Armament 76mm gun
SAAM(probably going to be RAM)
CIWS
SSMs
Light Torpedoes

 

[rickusn]

Thanks for the info Daewon.

Please keeps us informed as the program unfolds.

S. Korea is fast becoming a force to be reckoned with.

 

[Musashi_kenshin]

Have you got a source in English with more information?

At 2,600-3,100 tonnes it's more like a corvette or light frigate than a real frigate.

 

[Francois]

Have you got a source in English with more information?

At 2,600-3,100 tonnes it's more like a corvette or light frigate than a real frigate.

In East Asia, except maybe Japan, they tend to downgrade the value of the boats.
Look at SKoreas or China's DDGs, FFGs and the like.
In Western countries, these are named one step under.
KDX are more small frigates class then DDGs.

 

[daewon]

Have you got a source in English with more information?

At 2,600-3,100 tonnes it's more like a corvette or light frigate than a real frigate.

Sorry, I don't think I know any credible sources regarding FFX in english..
The plan is still not fully developed and information is limited. Maybe just some news bits from contracting firms.

And as Francois said we give grander names to ships in general.
KDX-I is really a frigate yet we call it DDH, when it really only carries 2 helis.
KDX-II weighing at 4500t could classified as either a frigate or a
destroyer but we go with DDG and so on.
I think it makes taxpayers feel better with grander categorization.
To each his own I guess

 

[rickusn]

Now lets see the Leander, , Maestrale, K Doorman, some MEKOs among others all were in that weight and size range 3000+fl.

The smaller Lupos are around 2500-2600 fl.

Malaysia has even smaller ships designated as frigates as do others.

Looks like a frigate, acts like a frigate, sounds like a frigate it just might be a frigate. LOL

Light frigates/corvette are usually under 2000 tons and corvettes normally closer to 1000 tons . Of course once under a thousand tons you get into the FACs PTG and PTC designations s but some even designate them as corvettes.

There are some gray areas but these in my estimation would be frigates of course if they arent fitted with much armament they could more rightly be classified as OPVs.

 

[Ths]

Well call them anything you want, it is timing and capability that matters. The new danish frigattes are Patrolships, where somebody else might call them destroyers.

What I notice is:

1. Everybody are building big corvettes and frigattes. All seem to have an initial in service date around 2011-12. To me that means that the US masterplan for control of all the oceans is coming together: The US have the large ships with the heavy punch collected in carrier task forces with an amphib-capability. The smaller, but still independently operated ships with endurance is outsourced to a broad fan of minor allies.

2. The offensive capability is put on helos on these frigattes. To me it seems more and more that the armament mounted on the ships is for the protection of the helicopterpad. Nothing wrong with that, except some of the romantics preferring ships of the line sailing parallel course - pounding each other with big shells - are in for a bleak future.

3. The helicopter armament indicate to me a better capability in detecting and indeed observing submarines: The WW2 scenario with the periscope being surmised and the destroyer plowing toward the spot full tilt spewing kegs of explosives over the spot where they thought they saw the perpetrator of evil - that seems to be long gone.
Maybe we indeed around 2015 can say that submarines as such are an outdated weapon. The stopping of the Seawolf class might be an other indication (they are to expensive: In relation to what?), though they just might be a class of poor design - I don't know, other subclasses have been and if they are the USNavy will certainly not discuss it. I've always seen the Virginia class as shore bombardment ship to fill the need the BB's were supposed to have. The Virginias don't have big guns; but the - say 50 odd cruise missiles - should do the same trick if they maintain their accuracy.

 

[tatra]

Batch - I is going to be rather lightly armed. With a single 3 inch gun, 8 SSM700K(anti-ship missile), RAM, and a goalkeeper. No SAMs or ASW missiles are planned. It will carry a Lynx ASW helicopter.
Possibly in later versions the ship may carry VLS launchers for korean developed medium range SAMs ans ASW missles.

RAM but no SAMs, eh? nfloorl:

Anyway, sounds like a beefed up MILGEM to me. Which wouldn't surprise me, considering current Turkish-South Korean military technology cooperation.