Dolgorae-class submarine

	Dolgorae-class submarine
Class overview
Builders:	Korea Takoma Shipyard
Operators:	Republic of Korea Navy
Preceded by:	Cosmos class
Succeeded by:	Chang Bogo class
In commission:	1985–2016
Completed:	3
Retired:	3
Preserved:	1
General characteristics
Type:	Midget submarine
Displacement:	175 tonnes (172 long tons) full load
Length:	25 m (82 ft 0 in)
Beam:	2.1 m (6 ft 11 in)
Speed:	16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Complement:	14
Sensors and ; processing systems:	STN Atlas hull-mounted sonar; Pilkington CK34 search periscope;
Armament:	2 × 406 mm (16 in) torpedo tubes

The Dolgorae class submarine (Hangul: 돌고래급 잠수정) was a type of midget submarine designed and acquired for the Republic of Korea Navy. All three units are now retired.[1]

These midget submarines were the first South Korean submarines of any type. They were acquired primarily to obtain initial experience with the basics of operating a submarine force. The secondary mission to train surface ASW ships in the detection of North Korean midget submarines.

Replacement

In November 2011, South Korea unveiled plans for a new mini-sub designated KSS-500A. In September 2015, Jane's.com reported that Hyundai Heavy Industries started construction of a single 40 m (130 ft) long HDS-400 mini submarine for an unnamed naval customer.[2]

Ships in the class

Name	Builder	Launched	Decommissioned	Status
ROKS SSM-051	Korea Takoma Shipyard	2 April 1982	2003	Retired
ROKS SSM-052	Korea Takoma Shipyard	1990	2016	Retired
ROKS SSM-053	Korea Takoma Shipyard	1991	2016	Retired

In November 2017, one Dolgorae-class submarine was opened as a museum ship in the new Seoul Battleship Park beside the Han River in western Seoul.[3]

References

The information in this article is based on that in its Korean equivalent.

"S. Korean Navy's first-generation submarines decommissioned". 30 June 2015. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
Rahmat, Ridzwan (24 Sep 2015). "Hyundai begins construction of mini-submarine for undisclosed customer". Retrieved 8 Oct 2015.
Kim, Se-jeong (22 November 2017). "Seoul Battleship Park opens Wednesday". The Korea Times. Retrieved 23 November 2017.

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[1] "S. Korean Navy's first-generation submarines decommissioned". 30 June 2015. Retrieved 14 July 2015.

[2] Rahmat, Ridzwan (24 Sep 2015). "Hyundai begins construction of mini-submarine for undisclosed customer". Retrieved 8 Oct 2015.

[3] Kim, Se-jeong (22 November 2017). "Seoul Battleship Park opens Wednesday". The Korea Times. Retrieved 23 November 2017.