South Korean Destroyer fleet approved for US improvement programme

The US State Department has approved a potential Foreign Military Sale to South Korea. The sale amounts to a KDX-II-class destroyers product improvement programme, along with related logistics and programme support elements.

The US$300 million sale includes modified MK 99 fire control system cabinets, updated weapon direct system software modification, integration and installation, and relevant technical documentation.

The price also includes personnel training and training equipment, US Government and contractor engineering, technical and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics and program support.

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The sale would improve South Korea’s capability to perform anti-surface and anti-air warfare missions as a deterrent to regional threats, particularly from North Korea, and to strengthen its homeland defence.

The six-vessel KDX-II fleet was commissioned between 2003–2008 as a class of multi-purpose destroyers under the Korean Destroyer eXperimental (KDX) programme. The vessels are typically deployed on reconnaissance and surveillance, anti-submarine, air and surface warfare operations.

This upgrade would not add substantively to the KDX-II’s capabilities, but would allow the fleet to continue operating, in the wake of the encroaching obsolescence of some of its current hardware and required software fixes.

The principal contractor on the sale would include BAE Systems, Integrated Defense Solutions, based in Rockville, Maryland. Additional contractors would be determined by competition to select approved vendors.

To implement the sale, eight government and 20 contractor personnel would be required to visit South Korea, to deliver the technical oversight and support requirements of the programme, as well as to provide installation and training support in-country.

Related Programmes in Defence Insight

KDDX Next Generation Destroyer [South Korea]

Related Equipment in Defence Insight

Chungmugong Yi Sun Shin Class (KDX-II/HDD-5000)