A 214-class submarine in operation. Photo provided by Defense Acquisition Program Administration
The Navy’s 214-class (Sonwon-il class, 1800t) submarine stopped while sailing due to a propulsion system error warning. Accordingly, the navy stopped the submarine and mobilized a tugboat to move it to the military port.
According to the Navy on the 23rd, an unknown propulsion system abnormality warning occurred while one 214-class submarine was returning to the base after completing a test run on the east coast of Pohang, Gyeongbuk on the 22nd.
The submarine stopped and returned to the base early this morning with the assistance of a tugboat, to prevent equipment damage, the Navy said. A Navy official said, “There are no abnormalities in personnel and equipment,” and “I am looking for the exact cause by entering the port.”
A Navy official explained that the submarine was commissioned during the scheduled maintenance period until mid-May this year.
Son Won-Il class submarines are known to be equipped with an air-free device (AIP), a device that can be propelled without air, so that submarine operations can be performed for about two weeks without being surfaced. The Navy is operating a total of nine Sonwon-Il class submarines, starting with the first ship in 2007.
The Sonwon-Il class submarine has an underwater displacement of 1800t, 65.3m in length, 6.3m in width, and a maximum speed of 20 knots (37km per hour). It can carry about 40 crew members and sail back and forth between Hawaii, USA without refueling. It is equipped with an’Air Independent Propulsion (AIP)’ that can charge the storage battery even without air, and can conduct underwater operations for two weeks without rising to the surface.
Son Won-Il class submarines are equipped with a domestic submarine cruise missile’Haesong’ and can precisely strike enemy core facilities. It also has the ability to simultaneously handle 300 targets underwater.
This submarine is armed with heavy torpedoes and mines, and can carry out anti-ship, anti-aircraft, anti-submarine warfare, as well as offensive mines. It is equipped with detection sensors such as navigation radar, periscope, and sonar, and a deception system that can evade enemy torpedoes.
Reporter Bae Jae-seong [email protected]