[Courtesy of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering]
SEOUL -- Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) signed a contract worth 443.5 won ($397.7 million) to build a new 5,200-ton submarine rescue ship by the end of 2022. It would be South Korea's second auxiliary submarine rescue (ASR) ship. The first one was delivered in 1996.
Daewoo Shipbuilding, the main builder of South Korean submarines, said Friday it has secured a final contract from the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), a state body controlled by the defense ministry. Design began after DAPA and Daewoo launched the ASR-II project in late 2015.
The ASR-II will feature a helicopter deck, a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) and a "center well" (moon pool) through which deep-sea rescue vessels (DSRVs) can be deployed to rescue the crews of distressed submarines at the depth of up to 500 meters. Its missions include submarine support operations, underwater research and the recovery of sunken vessels.
South Kora commissioned a 4,300-ton Cheonghaejin Class submarine rescue ship in December 1996. The ship relies on an A-frame to deploy DSRVs. The defense ministry wanted an advanced rescue ship in line with the deployment of bigger submarines.
South Korea has a three-phase project to develop a fleet of submarines. Through the first phase, nine 1,200-ton subs have been built with technical help from Germany. In the second phase, six 1,800-ton hybrid diesel-electric/fuel cell vessels have been built and the third phase calls for the construction of 3,000-ton and 3,600-ton submarines. The first 3,000-ton diesel-electric submarine capable of firing ballistic missiles was unveiled in September.
reporter
Lim Chang-won
cwlim34@ajunews.com
