This article contains a list of the ship formations of the Menghean Navy (battle groups, brigades, and squadrons) on the eve of the Second Pan-Septentrion War. Specifically, it reflects the status of the Menghean Navy on 1 April 2022, shortly before the start of Menghe's prewar mobilization.
Typical commanding officer ranks
| Rank |
Army equivalent |
Typical formation command |
Typical ship command
|
| Marshal-grade officers
|
Haegun Wŏnsu
(Admiral of the Navy)
(OF-11)
|
Wŏnsu
(Marshal)
|
Administrative post
|
(n/a)
|
Haegun Chasu
(Vice-Admiral of the Navy)
(OF-10)
|
Chasu
(Vice-Marshal)
|
Administrative post
|
(n/a)
|
| Flag officers
|
Haegun Sangjang
(Admiral)
(OF-9)
|
Sangjang
(General)
|
- Regional fleet (South Sea, East Sea)
|
(n/a)
|
Haegun Jungjang
(Vice Admiral)
(OF-8)
|
Jungjang
(Lt. General)
|
- Numbered fleet (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc)
|
(n/a)
|
Haegun Sojang
(Rear Admiral)
(OF-7)
|
Sojang
(Major General)
|
- Carrier battle group
- ASW battle group
- Amphibious battle group
- Nuclear submarine brigade
|
(n/a)
|
Haegun Junjang
(Commodore)
(OF-6)
|
Junjang
(Brigadier General)
|
- Diesel-electric submarine brigade
- Medium ASW patrol brigade (defunct)
|
(n/a)
|
| Captain-grade officers
|
Haegun Daeryŏng
(Captain)
(OF-5)
|
Daeryŏng
(Colonel)
|
- Escort brigade
- Destroyer brigade
|
- Nuclear submarine (JWY, JWS, JWG)
- Aircraft carrier (MH, MHW)
- Large ASW patrol ship (DChD)
- Cruiser (S) (no longer in use)
|
Haegun Jungryŏng
(Commander)
(OF-4)
|
Jungryŏng
(Lt. Colonel)
|
- Coastal ASW patrol squadron
- Missile corvette (KYD) squadron
|
- Diesel-electric submarine (J, JW)
- Escort ship (HJ, H, HO)
- Destroyer (G, GY)
- Medium ASW patrol ship (DChJ)
|
Haegun Soryŏng
(Lt. Commander)
(OF-3)
|
Soryŏng
(Major)
|
- Fast attack craft (KY) squadron
- Squadron of small support craft (tug boats, fire boats, launches)
|
- Small ASW patrol ship (DChS)
- Large fast attack craft (KYD)
- Minesweeper or minehunter (GJW)
|
Rotating battle groups
Carrier battle groups
Since the commissioning of MHW-14 Choe Sŭng-min on 12 March 2021, the Menghean Navy has had four active carrier battle groups. These operate in a 1:2:1 rotation: on any given day in peacetime, one is on station at sea, two are in port but able to sortie within 14 days or less, and one is undergoing major refits or maintenance. In wartime this can be surged to 2:1:1 by bringing one of the docked carriers into action ahead of schedule. At sea, these carriers typically occupy a patrol box east of the Strait of Portcullia, from which they can either provide fighter cover at sea or pivot eastward to engage units of the Maracaiban Navy.
In previous years, the Menghean Navy's carrier battle groups docked in Quang Pha when not on deployment. After the Entente Cordiale deployed cruise missiles and short-range ballistic missiles to Isla Diamante, Menghe relocated its major carrier docking site to Songsu-do Naval Base in the city of Gyŏngsan, which is outside the range of EC cruise missiles fired from Isla Diamante. This increased the transit time from the docking zone to the patrol area to 7 days, but reduced the risk that the EC could damage a carrier in port early in the conflict.
Each Menghean carrier battle group is commanded by a two-star rear admiral (haegun sojang), and each escort brigade within the battle group is commanded by a Captain (Haegun Daeryŏng).
1st Carrier Battle Group
- Home port: Songsu-do Naval Base
- Status on 1 April 2022: Docked in port
2nd Carrier Battle Group
- Home port: Songsu-do Naval Base
- Status on 1 April 2022: Recalled for maintenance
3rd Carrier Battle Group
- Home port: Songsu-do Naval Base
- Status on 1 April 2022: On patrol east of the Strait of Portcullia.
4th Carrier Battle Group
- Home port: Songsu-do Naval Base
- Status on 1 April 2022: Docked in port.
Anti-submarine battle groups
The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd anti-submarine battle groups are the first of their kind in Menghe, built around Chanjok Jachido-class cruisers which serve as flagships. The 4th, 5th, and 6th were added more recently, and are built around Hasŏ-class cruisers.
1st Anti-submarine battle group
- Home port: Quang Pha
- Status on 1 April 2022: Docked in port.
2nd Anti-submarine battle group
- Home port: Quang Pha
- Status on 1 April 2022: At sea.
3rd Anti-submarine battle group
- Home port: Quang Pha
- Status on 1 April 2022: Recalled for maintenance.
4th Anti-submarine battle group
- Home port: Chanam
- Status on 1 April 2022: Recalled for maintenance.
5th Anti-submarine battle group
- Home port: Chanam
- Status on 1 April 2022: At sea.
6th Anti-submarine battle group
- Home port: Chanam
- Status on 1 April 2022: Docked in port.
Independent surface brigades
In the Menghean Navy, a "brigade" (yŏdan) is a group of surface ships which typically go to sea, resupply in port, or undergo repairs as a single unit, much like the battle groups above. Unlike the above formations, however, they sometimes operate independently but are typically placed under the command of an existing battle group or ad-hoc formation.
Across all types, a surface brigade is typically commanded by an officer with the rank of Haegun Junjang, typically translated as "commodore" but specifically referring to a one-star admiral. Destroyer and escort brigades are led by a ship with one-star flag facilities, but littoral warfare brigades are typically commanded from shore.
Destroyer brigades
Destroyer brigades (gughugham yŏdan) are groups of three ships, typically consisting of a flotilla leader with small-scale flag facilities and two attached destroyers subordinate to that unit. Note that while Anglian translations refer to both as "destroyers," the Menghean Navy distinguishes between guchugham (G/GY), which are surface-warfare-oriented warships of frigate size, and juryŏk howiham (H/HJ), which are multi-role escort ships of guided-missile destroyer size. Similarly, the destroyer brigades in this section serve as largely independent surface action groups, whereas the escort brigades (howiham yŏdan) in the following sections are more akin to foreign destroyer squadrons.
From the 1980s until the mid-to-late 2010s, Menghe also operated destroyer brigades which included Nunbora-class destroyers. By 2022, the last Nunboras had been retired and all extant destroyer brigades contained Chŏndong-class destroyers.
- 2nd Destroyer Brigade
- Home port: Puerto Alegre
- Status on 1 April 2022: Docked in port.
- 9th Destroyer Brigade
- Home port: Puerto Alegre
- Status on 1 April 2022: Docked in port.
- 12th Destroyer Brigade
- Home port: Puerto Alegre
- Status on 1 April 2022: Withdrawn for maintenance.
- 22nd Destroyer Brigade
- Home port: Puerto Alegre
- Status on 1 April 2022: Docked in port.
- 25th Destroyer Brigade
- Home port: Puerto Alegre
- Status on 1 April 2022: On routine patrol in the Strait of Portcullia.
- 29th Destroyer Brigade
- Home port: Puerto Alegre
- Status on 1 April 2022: Docked in port.
Escort brigades
Independent escort brigades typically consist of one destroyer (howiham or juryŏk howiham, H/HJ) and two frigates (oechung howiham, HO). As with destroyer brigades, the destroyer at the lead of the formation incorporates limited flag facilities which the brigade commander can use to coordinate the movement of the other two ships.
Escort brigades can operate either independently or as part of a larger group. Typically, Menghe rotates one escort brigade off the coast of Isla Diamante, but would pull together off-duty escort brigades to protect amphibious battle groups in the leadup to a conflict.
Due to their greater number, the Menghean Navy's escort brigades are grouped into three divisions. These are largely administrative formations, and the rear admirals commanding them serve a largely administrative role. Because the individual brigades in each division rotate in and out of major repair service to keep one brigade at sea at any given time, an entire division would never go to sea as a combined unit.
1st Escort Division
The 1st Escort Division consists of four fairly modern escort brigades with Haeju-class destroyers and Chunchŏn-class frigates. It is based out of Quang Pha. From 2018 to 2022, the 1st Escort Division rotated one brigade through patrol duty off Isla Diamante, with the mission of supporting anti-air, anti-missile, anti-submarine, and shore bombardment duties in the event of war. The two docked brigades would be mobilized as escorts for the 4th Marine Infantry Brigade's landing ships on a voyage from Quang Pha to Isla Diamante or Altagracia.
- 3rd Escort Brigade
- Home port: Quang Pha
- Status on 1 April 2022: Withdrawn for maintenance.
- 16th Escort Brigade
- Home port: Quang Pha
- Status on 1 April 2022: Docked in port.
- 41st Escort Brigade
- Commander: Commodore Ri Min-ho
- Home port: Quang Pha
- Status on 1 April 2022: On patrol northeast of Isla Diamante.
- 47th Escort Brigade
- Home port: Quang Pha
- Status on 1 April 2022: Docked in port.
2nd Escort Division
The 2nd Escort Division is identical in structure and composition to the 1st Escort Division, except that its brigades contain Sŏnsan-class frigates, a newer subclass of the Chunchŏn class. The brigades in this division are based in Puerto Alegre, and rotate through patrol duties in the Strait of Portcullia.
- 17th Escort Brigade
- Home port: Puerto Alegre
- Status on 1 April 2022: Recalled for maintenance.
- 20th Escort Brigade
- Home port: Puerto Alegre
- Status on 1 April 2022: Docked in port.
- 32nd Escort Brigade
- Home port: Puerto Alegre
- Status on 1 April 2022: Docked in port.
- 46th Escort Brigade
- Home port: Puerto Alegre
- Status on 1 April 2022: At sea outside Puerto Alegre.
3rd Escort Division
The 3rd Escort Division is cobbled together from older surface ships, and in 2022 was comprised of Hyŏngnam-class destroyers and Ansa-class frigates, including one frigate of the Hawŏn subclass. With the exception of the refitted Hawŏn, all of these ships retain their single- or twin-arm missile launchers in place of VLS cells and 1980s-vintage variable depth sonar in place of newer towed sonar arrays. They would most likely be activated for rear-area or low-threat missions, such as escorting civilian shipping in the South Menghe Sea.
- 7th Escort Brigade
- Home port: Ranju
- Status on 1 April 2022: Docked in port.
- 11th Escort Brigade
- Home port: Ranju
- Status on 1 April 2022: Docked in port.
- 19th Escort Brigade
- Home port: Ranju
- Status on 1 April 2022: Recalled for maintenance.
Littoral combat brigades
- 21st Littoral Brigade
- Home port: Vinh Thanh
- Status on 1 April 2022: Docked in port.
- 27th Littoral Brigade
- Home port: Vinh Thanh
- Status on 1 April 2022: Docked in port.
- 42nd Littoral Brigade
- Home port: Vinh Thanh
- Status on 1 April 2022: Recalled for maintenance.
- 44th Littoral Brigade
- Home port: Cartagena
- Status on 1 April 2022: Docked in port.
- 50th Littoral Brigade
- Home port: Cartagena
- Status on 1 April 2022: Docked in port.
Amphibious ship brigades
Corvette squadrons
Fast attack craft squadrons
- 113th Missile Corvette Squadron
- Home port: Las Playas
- 120th Missile Corvette Squadron
- Home port: Las Playas
- 124th Missile Corvette Squadron
- Home port: Rosario
- 125th Missile Corvette Squadron
- Home port: Rosario
- 175th Missile Corvette Squadron
- Home port: Cartagena
Coastal anti-submarine patrol squadrons
Coastal ASW squadrons in the Menghean Navy consist of three or four small anti-submarine patrol ships (hull type DChS) with light sonar equipment and weaponry. Typically, one coastal ASW squadron is attached to an important coastal location, such as a port or naval base. The ships in the squadron rotate through patrol duty on the approaches to the base, protecting it against divers, submarines, and light craft. In peacetime they cycle through a 1:2:1 rotation of ships at sea, at dockside, and under maintenance; in wartime, this could be boosted to a 2:1:1 ratio. As with FAC squadrons, rather than rotating the entire squadron in and out of action, the Menghean Navy rotates its individual ships. Thus, in the 169th ASW Squadron, Juksun was on patrol, Banhonghwa and Jajuk were at dockside, and Bochunhwa was drydocked for maintenance on 1 April 2022.
A coastal ASW patrol squadron is commanded by a Captain 2nd Rank (haegun jungryŏng), equivalent to a lieutenant-colonel in the Army. It is subordinate to the commander of the naval base it protects.
- 108th ASW Patrol Squadron
- Home port: Puerto Alegre
- 138th ASW Patrol Squadron
- Home port: Songsu-do
- 146th ASW Patrol Squadron
- Home port: Chanam
- 150th ASW Patrol Squadron
- Home port: Sunju
- 154th ASW Patrol Squadron
- Home port: Esperanza
- 155th ASW Patrol Squadron
- Home port: Puerto Alegre
- 163rd ASW Patrol Squadron
- Home port: Ao Mangkon
- 169th ASW Patrol Squadron
- Home port: Rosario
- 170th ASW Patrol Squadron
- Home port: Cartagena
- 173rd ASW Patrol Squadron
- Home port: Quang Pha
Submarine formations
The Menghean Navy organizes submarines similarly to corvette squadrons: the squadron or brigade patrols a particular area of interest, and the submarines in the unit rotate between a base and that patrol area. Thus, the submarines in a squadron or brigade typically do not go to sea together, but at any given time each squadron or brigade has some of its submarines at sea.
In 2018, Menghe reclassified its nuclear boats into the following four types:
- Nuclear guided missile submarines (wonjaryŏk yudotan jamsuham, JWY) carry a heavy battery of vertically launched missiles which can be used for land attack, but also retain a powerful sonar suite and torpedo armament for anti-shipping duties. As of 2022 only the Daedam-class submarines are in this category.
- Nuclear patrol submarines (wonjaryŏk sunchal jamsuham, JWS) are primarily optimized for anti-submarine combat, and feature a state-of-the-art sonar suite and advanced quieting measures. There are two submarine types in this category: the Sinyi-class submarines and the later Chungsŏng-IV class submarines, also known as the Sinsil class for their lead boat.
- Nuclear attack submarines (wonjaryŏk gonggyŏk jamsuham, JWG) are primarily optimized for anti-surface combat, particularly against older vessels or auxiliary and merchant ships. This category includes the early batches of Chungsŏng-class submarines, including the Chungsŏng-III class submarines.
Note that these do not map onto the conventional Western division between nuclear guided missile submarines (SSGN) and nuclear attack submarines (SSN). The two Chungsŏng-III vessels each carry twelve anti-ship missile tubes, but they are classified as nuclear attack submarines because this battery is insufficient to overwhelm the defenses of most modern warships. Similarly, the Sinyi-class submarines each carry a modular canister which can launch seven anti-ship, anti-land, or anti-submarine missiles, but they are classified as nuclear patrol submarines due to their primary anti-submarine role.
Nuclear guided missile submarine brigades
- 90th Nuclear Missile Submarine Brigade
- Home port: Rosario
- 94th Nuclear Missile Submarine Brigade
- Home port: Hallia
- 98th Nuclear Missile Submarine Brigade
- Home port: Musan
- 190th Nuclear Missile Submarine Brigade
- Home port: Kolodoria
Nuclear attack submarine brigades
- 91st Nuclear Attack Submarine Brigade
- Home port: Qusayn
- 97th Nuclear Attack Submarine Brigade
- Home port: Musan
Nuclear patrol submarine brigades
- 97th Nuclear Patrol Submarine Brigade
- Home port: Rosario
- 93rd Nuclear Patrol Submarine Brigade
- Home port: Ganh Son
- 95th Nuclear Patrol Submarine Brigade
- Home port: Wihae
- 96th Nuclear Patrol Submarine Brigade
- Home port: Ganh Son
Nuclear submarines undergoing refits or refueling
Diesel-electric guided missile submarine squadrons
Diesel-electric attack submarine squadrons
Midget submarine squadrons
Midget submarine squadrons function similar to FAC squadrons, in that their member submarines typically remain in port in peacetime except when summoned for exercises. In wartime, however, each squadron would raise as many submarines as it can manage in order to execute an opening strike on enemy coastal targets.
- 184th Midget Submarine Squadron
- Home port: Puerto Alegre
- 186th Midget Submarine Squadron
- Home port: Giju West Base
- 193rd Midget Submarine Squadron
- Home port: Rosario
See also
