Korae-class submarine

Korae

File:Korae-class.png Korae I-class, Korae II-class
Class overview
Builders:	Sunwoo Heavy Industries
Operators:	Anikatian People's Navy Anikatian Navy Imperial Navy of Temuair
Preceded by:	Tolgorae-class
Succeeded by:	Koraesango-class
Built:	1970–1979
In service:	1971-Present
Completed:	18
Active:	4
Retired:	15
General characteristics
Type:	Submarine
Displacement:	surface – 3,580 t; / 4,310 t; submerged – 4,980 t; / 5,500 t (Korae I / Korae II)
Length:	109 m / 112 m (Korae I / Korae II)
Beam:	9.9 m
Draft:	7.5 m
Propulsion:	1 × Bulgakko BNR-75 nuclear reactors producing 75 MW (100,577 hp) each 2 × Bulgakko P-SM1-400A steam turbines 2 × Bulgakko E-TM1A-3B Electric cruise motors 1,480 shp (1,081 kW) 2 × Daesungkhu & Namkoong DNE TG-2B turbogenerators 2,682 shp (2,000 kW) 1 × Kyoungcho DPE F6M 617 shp (460 kW) emergency diesel engine set 1 shafts, each with 5-bladed propellers / each with two 5-bladed propellers (Korae I / Korae II)
Speed:	12 knots (24 km/h) surfaced 25 knots (48 km/h) submerged
Range:	Unlimited, except by food supplies
Endurance:	60 days endurance
Test depth:	250-300 m (820-984 ft)
Complement:	Korae I: 98 crew (32 officers, 45 warrant officers, 21 warrant officers) Korae II: 84 crew (24 officers, 44 petty officers, 16 warrant officers)
Armament:	Korae I: 6 × 533 mm (21.0 in) torpedo tubes 14 × torpedos or 24 × mines 8 × SH-4 anti-ship cruise missiles, Korae II: 6 × 533 mm (21.0 in) torpedo tubes 14 × torpedos or 24 × mines 18 × SH-8 replaced with BrahMos on Madrastan vessels

The Korae-class submarine was the first purpose built Anikatian class of nuclear-powered cruise missiles submarines that were built by the DSRA. The official designation by the Anikatian People's Navy was the Korae-class, but the manufacturer designation of this class was Project 483; Korae (고래) means whale in the Anikatian language.

The design was highly reliable and relatively affordable design led to its uses with the conversion of 4 Korae I vessels into the Hukkorae-class submarine after issues with the troublesome Mokae-class.

History and development

In the late 1950s in the DSRA working on the formation of a new generation of submarines that were intended for high-level production and designed to solve multiple combat tasks, particularly to take on the large groups of aircraft carriers and other large ships of the enemy forces mainly the CDI in the central ocean.

After considering a number of proposals the design was chosen to be built by Sunwoo Heavy Industries as a comparably simple and inexpensive nuclear submarine optimised to combat surface targets such as carrier groups. Based on the work of the Tolgorae-class submarines using skills and knowledge learnt from that programme development of a new class of submarine was to also continue the application of cruise missiles and torpedo armament which would allow the design to attack CDI carrier groups.

In contrast to the Tolgorae-class the new design was to focus on small and cost-effective displacement. Internal components and propulsion systems were shared with the main attack submarines of the period the Songoryu-class. This helped to reduce costs of the design which proved to be a very cost-effective and reliable submarine.

As a result of the forthcoming research and development as well as a number of serious accidents the addition of a special escape capsule within the sail that allowed the crew to evacuate the ship in the event of an accident or emergency was introduced.

All external surfaces of the outer hull, superstructure were covered with a special rubber coating which reduced noise. Due to this, as well as the single-shaft and single-turbine arrangement the design was very low, for the period, the level of acoustic signature was considered highly successful. The type was carried over the high level of automation from the Tolgorae-class.

To reduce hydrodynamic noise when driving at high speed, as well as improve the hydrodynamic characteristics the submarine applied special closing mechanisms and vents the reduced excess noise. Measures to reduce the acoustic field included the use of sound absorbing cushioning mechanisms as well as the lining of bulkheads and deck decking vibration damping coatings.

The typical armament consists of eight SH-4 anti-ship cruise missiles, although this was later upgraded with SH-8 (three in each missile silos). The typical ammunition was two missiles were equipped with nuclear warheads (TNT equivalent - 1 kt), while six missiles were fitted with conventional warheads weighing about 1000 kg. Missiles could be fired in two volleys from a depth of up to 30 m at a speed of no more than 5.5 knots. Torpedo armament of the ship was located at the bow and included six 533-mm torpedo tubes with 14 torpedoes ammunition of various types or instead up 24 mines could be carried.

Two of the Korae-class were leased to Temuair and then bought for use with the Imperial Navy of Temuair. The submarines of Project 483 left a noticeable mark on the history of the Anikatian People's Navy. It can be said that the design decisions inherent in their design have through the conversion to the Hukkorae-class have influenced all future SSGN and SSBN submarines designs.

Variants

• Korae I (Project 483): The baseline configuration, these were nuclear-powered submarines that first saw service in 1971; 11 were built. They had 6 torpedo tubes and carried 16 torpedoes, mines. 8 x SH-4 anti-ship cruise missiles
• Korae II (Project 483A): Improved design, with increased length by nearly 3 metres and higher displacement allowing greater diving depths, other improvements were new electronic equipment, new sonar and new SH-4 anti-ship cruise missiles, these were nuclear-powered submarines that first saw service in 1977; 8 were built. They had 6 torpedo tubes and carried 14 torpedoes, mines. The 8 x SH-4 anti-ship cruise missiles and their eight silo launchers were later removed and replaced with 24 x SH-8 anti-ship cruise missiles as the smaller CM-315 launchers allowed three launch container to fit in place of the one older SH-4 anti-ship cruise missiles launcher container. This greatly improving the combat effectiveness of the type, while on Madrastan vessels these were then supplemented with 24 BrahMos missiles.
• Hukkorae I (Project 483B): 4 of this type were converted from the basic Korae I specification. These were considered SSBNs, with increased length of X metres, new electronic equipment, and silos holding 16 x SKG-11 SLBMs, these were nuclear-powered submarines that first saw service in 1974; They had 6 torpedo tubes and carried 14 torpedoes, mines.
• Hukkorae II (Project 483BHJ): An experimental vessel converted from a Hukkorae I. This was used for trials of new acoustic systems, new electronic equipment, and the silos were used to test the new SKG-15 SLBMs. It first saw service in 1978; They had 6 torpedo tubes and carried 16 torpedoes, mines.

Units

Following is a list of all 18 Korae-class submarines built for the DSRA.

Korae-class

Number	Shipyard	Project	Laid down	Launched	Decommissioned	Status
S-168	Sunwoo Heavy Industries Hamgae Shipyard	483	1970	1971	2001	Rebuilt as SSBN Hukkorae I (Project 483B)
S-169	Sunwoo Heavy Industries Chongnam Shipyard	483	1970	1971	2001	Rebuilt as SSBN Hukkorae I (Project 483B)
S-171	Kyoungcho Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Eunchuol Shipyard	483	1970	1972	2001	Rebuilt as SSBN Hukkorae II (Project 483BHJ)
S-172	Kyoungcho Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Namsong Shipyard	483	1970	1971	2001	Rebuilt as SSBN Hukkorae I (Project 483B)
S-173	Sunwoo Heavy Industries Hamgae Shipyard	483	1972	1973	2001	Decommissioned for scrapping
S-174	Sunwoo Heavy Industries Hamgae Shipyard	483	1973	1974	2001	Decommissioned for scrapping
S-175	Sunwoo Heavy Industries Chongnam Shipyard	483	1971	1972	2001	Decommissioned for scrapping
S-176	Sunwoo Heavy Industries Hamgae Shipyard	483	1974	1975	2001	Decommissioned for scrapping
S-177	Kyoungcho Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Namsong Shipyard	483	1971	1972	2001	Decommissioned for scrapping
S-178	Kyoungcho Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Eunchuol Shipyard	483	1972	1973	2001	Decommissioned for scrapping
S-179	Sunwoo Heavy Industries Hamgae Shipyard	483	1975	1976	2001	Decommissioned for scrapping
S-180	Sunwoo Heavy Industries Hamgae Shipyard	483A	1976	1977	2001	Decommissioned for scrapping
S-181	Sunwoo Heavy Industries Chongnam Shipyard	483A	1975	1976	2001	Decommissioned for scrapping
S-182	Kyoungcho Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Eunchuol Shipyard	483A	1976	1977	2001	Active service
S-183	Kyoungcho Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Namsong Shipyard	483A	1975	1976	2001	Active service
S-184	Sunwoo Heavy Industries Hamgae Shipyard	483A	1977	1978	2001	Active service
S-185	Sunwoo Heavy Industries Hamgae Shipyard	483A	1978	1979	2001	Active service
S-186 TBD	Sunwoo Heavy Industries Chongnam Shipyard	483A	1976	1977	-	Active service, Has been leased out to Temuair.
S-187 TBD	Kyoungcho Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Eunchuol Shipyard	483A	1977	1978	-	Active service, Has been leased out to Temuair.

Operators

Most saw service in the Anikatian People's Navy.

Anikatia

• Anikatian Navy All retired and or scrapped.

Temuair

• Imperial Navy of Temuair Two Korae II-class leased from Anikatia since the 1970s, and later purhased.

DSRA

• Anikatian People's Navy (passed on to successor states)

External links

• Korae Class Submarines - Complete Ship List (English)