Banjihwa-class corvette

DChJ Banjihwa as commissioned.
Class overview
Name:	Banjihwa class
Builders:	Gyŏngsan Songsu-do Shipyard Kimhae Naval Yard
Operators:	Menghe Argentstan
Preceded by:	Jangmi-class frigate
Succeeded by:	Mugunghwa-class corvette
Built:	1967-1975
In service:	1970-2010
Completed:	22
Lost:	2
Retired:	20
General characteristics
Type:	Corvette
Displacement:	1110 tonnes full load
Length:	82.3 m
Beam:	9.2 m
Draught:	2.89 m
Propulsion:	Combined diesel and gas 2 × 15,000 hp M-2B gas turbine 1 × 6,000 hp 61B diesel engine 3 propellers and 2 auxiliary propulsors
Speed:	32 knots
Range:	2,000 nm (3,700 km) at 14 knots
Endurance:	10 days
Complement:	106
Sensors and processing systems:	MR-302 Rubka radar MG-312 Titan sonar MG-311 Vychegda sonar
Electronic warfare & decoys:	Bizan-4B ESM radar system
Armament:	2 × 2 76mm AK-726 dual-purpose gun 2 × 5 400mm torpedo tube 2 × HBDJ-21/12 ASW rocket launcher 22 mines

The Banjihwa class is the Menghean designation for a group of Petya-class frigates (Project 159A) built under license in the Democratic People's Republic of Menghe. In Western sources, they are variously described as heavy corvettes or light frigates; in the Menghean Navy's designation system, they were first classified as medium anti-submarine patrol ships, but in 1995 they were reclassified as small anti-submarine patrol ships.

Jangmi class

In 1967, Menghe purchased four used Petya-class frigates from Letnia. All four were of the early Pr.159 baseline model, with manually loaded RBU-2500 anti-submarine rocket launchers and a single bank of 400mm torpedo tubes. These were known in Menghe as the Jangmi class, after DChJ Jangmi, the name given to the first ship in the series.

Development of the Banjihwa class

The Menghean People's Navy subsequently negotiated plans to build a further eight ships under license, with the electronics and turbines built in Letnia and shipped to Menghe. During the construction and fitting-out process, some onboard amenities were modified to better serve the needs of the Menghean Navy: for example, the electric stoves were replaced by gas-fired stoves for wok frying, and the ventilation system was improved to better serve the hot climate of the South Menghe Sea. Functionally, however, the resulting design was identical to the Pr.159A model of the Petya-class frigate, with two RBU-6000 depth charge launchers forward and two banks of 400mm torpedo tubes.

After the first eight ships were built, the Menghean People's Navy ordered fourteen more under license, this time with a greater share of the equipment produced domestically.

When first commissioned, the Jangmi- and Banjihwa-class ships were designated as medium anti-submarine patrol ships (junghyŏng dae-jamsuham chogyeham), or DChJ. During a reform of the Menghean ship classification system implemented on 1 January 1995, they were redesignated as small anti-submarine patrol ships (sohyŏng dae-jamsuham chogyeham, DChS) and given permanent hull numbers. Hull numbers were assigned starting at DChS-600 for Gongtong, which was decommissioned just two days later, with no retroactive hull numbers assigned to ships already decommissioned by 1 January 1995.

Operational service

The Banjihwa-class corvettes were not particularly well-liked in Menghe. Though functional, and for a time better-equipped than any other Menghean anti-submarine surface combatant, they had limited range and seakeeping. Crews found them uncomfortable on long voyages, as even with an improved ventilation system internal temperatures could reach 35 degrees Celsius in tropical waters. The semi-exposed bridge was uncomfortable in storms and heavy seas. Finally, with no surface-to-air missile armament, these ships were very vulnerable to enemy aircraft and missiles, though this was also true of other contemporary Menghean warship classes. In 1988, when the Interim Council for National Restoration began cutting defense spending, the four Jangmi-class corvettes were quickly retired, with the first four Banjihwas scrapped the following year. All other Banjihwa-class corvettes were decommissioned between 1992 and 1997, with DChJ Ryusu and DChS-601 Ikmocho sold to Azbekistan in 1994 and 1995 respectively.

The Azbekistani ships were the only two Banjihwa-class corvettes to see combat service, and neither performed well. In a 2010 conflict with Khalistan, ANS Jurrat (ex-Ryusu) was sunk, and ANS Quwwat (ex-Ikmocho) was damaged beyond repair and scrapped in 2011. Both were hit by anti-ship missiles, against which their gunfire proved ineffective.

Ships in the class

A total of 22 Banjihwa-class corvettes were built in Menghe, in addition to the four Jangmi-class corvettes built in Letnia. Of these 26 warships total, none are in service today and none are preserved as museum ships: all ships in the class were either sold for scrap, sunk in live-fire exercises, sunk at sea after breaking from a tow line (Mallihwa), or sunk by enemy action (DChS-601 Ikmocho as ANS Quwwat). In keeping with Menghean postwar naval tradition, all were named for plants, and many of their names were later reused by other Menghean small ASW patrol ships.

Jangmi class (Pr.159, built in Letnia)

Hull no.	Name	Builder	Commissioned	Fate
(none)	Jangmi	Letnia	1967-03-14	Decommissioned 1988-06-30; sold for scrap.
(none)	Mokhwa	Letnia	1967-05-26	Decommissioned 1989-06-30; sold for scrap.
(none)	Yi-i	Letnia	1967-06-18	Decommissioned 1989-06-30; sold for scrap.
(none)	Hwangma	Letnia	1967-09-06	Decommissioned 1989-06-30; sold for scrap.

Banjihwa class (Pr.159A derived, built in Menghe)

Hull no.	Name	Builder	Launched	Commissioned	Fate
(none)	Banjihwa	Gyŏngsan	1969-06-27	1970-12-12	Decommissioned 1989-03-30; sold for scrap.
(none)	Maegoehwa	Kimhae	1969-08-20	1971-02-01	Decommissioned 1989-03-30; sold for scrap.
(none)	Ranhwa	Kimhae	1969-07-31	1971-03-22	Decommissioned 1989-10-27; sold for scrap.
(none)	Mallihwa	Gyŏngsan	1969-11-05	1971-12-22	Decommissioned 1989-10-27; sunk under tow to scrapping site.
(none)	Jusu	Gyŏngsan	1970-04-01	1971-10-29	Decommissioned 1992-08-04; sold for scrap.
(none)	Gyŏngcho	Gyŏngsan	1970-08-27	1972-10-05	Decommissioned 1993-09-01; sold for scrap.
(none)	Gyuhwa	Kimhae	1970-06-19	1971-12-27	Decommissioned 1992-04-06; sold for scrap.
DChS-600	Gongtong	Kimhae	1970-10-04	1973-02-06	Decommissioned 1995-01-03; sold for scrap.
(none)	Sangsu	Gyŏngsan	1970-12-15	1972-06-20	Decommissioned 1993-09-01; sold for scrap.
(none)	Ryusu	Gyŏngsan	1971-05-10	1972-09-08	Decommissioned 1994-08-06; sold to Argentstan as ANS Jurrat after refits; sunk by aircraft in 2010.
DChS-601	Ikmocho	Gyŏngsan	1971-11-15	1973-01-18	Decommissioned 1995-05-20; sold to Argentstan as ANS Quwwat after refits; damaged by aircraft in 2010; decommissioned 2011-01-17.
(none)	Sanchahwa	Kimhae	1971-07-17	1972-12-25	Decommissioned 1994-01-31; sold for scrap.
DChS-602	Dosu	Kimhae	1971-11-04	1973-05-01	Decommissioned 1995-07-08; sold for scrap.
DChS-603	Gŭmŭnhwa	Gyŏngsan	1972-01-08	1973-04-05	Decommissioned 1995-07-08; sold for scrap.
DChS-604	Rŭngsohwa	Gyŏngsan	1972-04-29	1973-08-08	Decommissioned 1996-08-17; sold for scrap.
DChS-605	Gamramsu	Gyŏngsan	1972-12-01	1974-07-02	Decommissioned 1996-08-17; sold for scrap.
DChS-606	Ryangsu	Kimhae	1972-08-19	1974-02-22	Decommissioned 1996-08-17; sold for scrap.
DChS-607	Maranhwa	Kimhae	1973-05-29	1975-02-24	Decommissioned 1997-10-04; sunk as target.
DChS-608	Joran	Gyŏngsan	1973-02-02	1974-10-08	Decommissioned 1996-07-18; sold for scrap.
DChS-609	Mocho	Gyŏngsan	1973-07-20	1974-11-25	Decommissioned 1996-07-18; sold for scrap.
DChS-610	Pungsu	Gyŏngsan	1974-01-21	1975-09-05	Decommissioned 1997-03-29; sold for scrap.
DChS-611	Risu	Gyŏngsan	1974-01-15	1975-07-12	Decommissioned 1997-10-04; sunk as target.