Hyundai Heavy launches S. Korean Navy's second frigate
SEOUL, July 18 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. on Thursday unveiled the South Korean Navy's second 2,300-ton frigate with improved warfare capabilities against North Korea.
A launching ceremony took place at Hyundai Heavy's shipyard in the southeastern city of Ulsan, attended by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Navy chief and other senior officials.
The locally made frigate is capable of carrying maritime operations helicopters and equipped with advanced radar system, guns, sonar system as well as anti-aircraft and anti-ship missiles, the Navy said. It has a maximum speed of 30 knots (55.6 kilometers/hour) and accommodates up to 120 personnel.
The naval ship was named after Gyeonggi Province that surrounds the capital Seoul and the western port city of Incheon, which has a strategic importance for defense. The first frigate named Incheon was launched in January.
The Gyeonggi will be delivered to the Navy next year and deployed for operation in 2015, officials said.
About 20 frigates will be built to replace the country's aging patrol combat corvettes and escort ships by 2020, the Navy said.
With report from Yonhap News Agency
