Gwanggaeto the Great-class destroyer
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Gwanggaeto the Great-class destroyer
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| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Builders: | Daewoo Heavy Industries Co. |
| Operators: |
 Republic of Korea Navy
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| Succeeded by: | Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin class |
| In commission: | 1998– |
| Planned: | 12 |
| Completed: | 3 |
| Cancelled: | 9 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Destroyer |
| Displacement: | 3,885–3,900 tonnes (3,824–3,838 long tons) full load |
| Length: | 135.5 m (444 ft 7 in) |
| Beam: | 14.2 m (46 ft 7 in) |
| Draft: | 4.2 m (13 ft 9 in) |
| Propulsion: |
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| Speed: | 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph) |
| Range: | 4,500 nmi (8,300 km; 5,200 mi) at 18 kn (33 km/h; 21 mph) |
| Complement: | 286 |
| Sensors and processing systems: |
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| Electronic warfare & decoys: |
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| Armament: |
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| Aircraft carried: | 2 × Super Lynx helicopters |
The Gwanggaeto the Great-class destroyers (Hangul: 광개토대왕급 구축함, Hanja: 廣開土大王級驅逐艦), often called KD-I class, are destroyers, but are classified by some as frigates, operated by the Republic of Korea Navy. It was the first phase of ROKN's KDX program, in moving the ROK Navy from a coastal defence force to a blue-water navy.
The KDX-I was designed to replace the old destroyers in the ROKN that were transferred from the US Navy in the 1950s and 1960s. It was thought to be a major turning point for the ROKN in that the launching of the first KDX-I meant that ROKN finally had a capability to project power far from its shores. After the launching of the ship, there was a massive boom in South Korean international participation against piracy and military operations other than war.
The primary weapon deployed by Gwanggaeto the Great-class vessels is the Super Lynx helicopter, which acts in concert with shipboard sensors to seek out and destroy submarines at long distances from the ships. The Gwanggaeto the Great class also carries a close-in anti-submarine weapon in the form of the Mark 46 torpedoes, launched from triple torpedo tubes in launcher compartments either side of the forward end of the helicopter hangar. A secondary anti-shipping role is supported by the RGM-84 Harpoon surface-to-surface missile, mounted in two quadruple launch tubes at the main deck level between the funnel and the helicopter hangar. For anti-aircraft self-defense, the Gwanggaeto the Great class carries 16 RIM-7P Sea Sparrow. The Gwanggaeto the Great class also carries two 30mm Goalkeeper to provide a shipboard point-defense against incoming anti-ship missiles and aircraft. The main gun on the forecastle is an OTO Melara 127 gun.
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