The Ulsan-class frigate (Korean울산급 호위함; Hanja蔚山級護衛艦) is the high-end complement of the high-low mix domestic naval construction plan of the Republic of Korea Navy under the 1st Yulgok Project (1974–1986) for the Republic of Korea Armed Forces.

ROKS Gyeongbuk near San Diego, California
Class overview
NameUlsan class
Builders
Operators
Succeeded byIncheon class
Completed9
Active2
Retired5
Preserved3
General characteristics
TypeFrigate
Displacement
  • 1,500 t (empty)
  • 2,180 t (full, Batch I)
  • 2,215 t (full, Batch II–III)
Length103.7 m (340 ft 3 in)
Beam12.5 m (41 ft 0 in)
Draught3.8 m (12 ft 6 in)
Propulsion
Speed35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph)
Range8,000 nmi (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Complement186 (16 officers)
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Fire control system:
  • Signaal SEWACO ZK (Batch I–II)
  • Samsung/Ferranti WSA-423 (Batch III)
  • AN/SPS-10C navigation radar
  • ST-1802 fire control radar
  • Signaal PHS-32 hull-mounted sonar
  • TB-261K towed sonar
Electronic warfare
& decoys
  • ULQ-11K ESM/ECM suite
  • 2 × Mark 36 SRBOC 6-tubed chaff/flare launcher
  • 2 × 15-tube SLQ-261 torpedo acoustic countermeasures
Armament

Design

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The Ulsan class is a light frigate built by Hyundai Heavy Industries and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering. The frigates are 103.7 metres (340 ft 3 in) in length with a top speed of 34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph) and range of 8,000 nautical miles (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph).

Ships in class

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Name Hull number Builder Launched Delivered Commissioned Decommissioned Operator Status
Batch I
ROKS Ulsan FF-951 Hyundai Heavy Industries 8 April 1980[1] 30 December 1980[1] 1 January 1981[1] 30 December 2014[1] Republic of Korea Navy Decommissioned.[1] Used as a museum ship in Ulsan.[2]
ROKS Seoul FF-952 Hyundai Heavy Industries 24 April 1984[3] 15 December 1984[3] 18 December 1984[3] 31 December 2015[3] Republic of Korea Navy Decommissioned.[3] Used as a museum ship in Seoul.[4]
ROKS Chungnam FF-953 Korea Shipbuilding Corporation 14 September 1984[5] 30 June 1985[5] 1 July 1985[6] 27 December 2017[6] Republic of Korea Navy Used by the Naval Battle Training Group Eight as reserve & training ship.[6] Offered but refused by the Argentine Navy.
ROKS Masan FF-955 Korea Tacoma Shipyard 26 October 1984 30 July 1985 7 August 1985 24 December 2019 Republic of Korea Navy Museum ship on Gangwha Island
Batch II
ROKS Gyeongbuk FF-956 Daewoo Shipbuilding 23 January 1986 1 August 1986 24 December 2019 Republic of Korea Navy Used by the Naval Battle Training Group Eight as reserve & training ship.
Batch III
ROKS Jeonnam FF-957 Hyundai Heavy Industries 19 April 1988 26 October 1989 30 December 2022 Republic of Korea Navy Decommissioned, held in Reserve as possible training ship or for Foreign Sales/Donation
ROKS Jeju FF-958 Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering 3 May 1988 2 December 1989 30 December 2022 Republic of Korea Navy Decommissioned, held in Reserve as possible training ship or for Foreign Sales/Donation
ROKS Busan FF-959 Hyundai Heavy Industries 20 February 1992 2 November 1992 Republic of Korea Navy Active
ROKS Cheongju FF-961 Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering 20 March 1992 2 December 1992 Republic of Korea Navy Active

Foreign variant

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Bangladesh Navy

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BNS Bangabandhu

In June 2001, the Bangladesh Navy commissioned a frigate based on the Ulsan-class frigate but the design was heavily modified. She is the most modern ship in her fleet.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Jang, Hoon (1 March 2020). "울산급 호위함(FF) 1번함 울산함 퇴역식". Defense Today (in Korean). Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  2. ^ Heo, Kwang-moo (12 April 2017). "'노병, 고향에 안식'…퇴역 울산함, 고래특구 장생포 전시". Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d e Jang, Hoon (1 March 2020). "3척의 해군 퇴역함정 한강공원 망원정에 서울함 공원으로 개장". Defense Today (in Korean). Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  4. ^ Kim, Se-jeong (22 November 2017). "Seoul Battleship Park opens Wednesday". The Korea Times. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
  5. ^ a b Lee, Byung-rok (29 December 2017). "충남함 전역식". Naver (in Korean). Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  6. ^ a b c Lee, Young-jae (27 December 2017). "국산 1세대 전투함 '충남함' 32년 임무 완수하고 전역". Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). Retrieved 13 December 2021.
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