Hong Sang Eo
The Hong Sang Eo (Red Shark) torpedo (Hangul: 홍상어 어뢰), also called the K-ASROC, is a vertically launched anti-submarine missile successively developed and tested by South Korea's University of Science and Technology, the Korea Agency for Defense Development (ADD) and the Republic of Korea Navy in 2009.[1] The Red Shark missile has a range of 12 miles (19 km)[2] and carries a K745 Blue Shark torpedo that is deployed by parachute near the intended target. After release, the Blue Shark independently searches for the target.
| Hong Sang Eo (Red Shark) Torpedo | |
|---|---|
 Hong Sang Eo (Red Shark) torpedo cutaway | |
| Type | Anti-submarine missile |
| Place of origin | South Korea |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2010-present |
| Used by | Republic of Korea Navy |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Agency for Defense Development |
| Designed | 1999-2009 |
| Manufacturer | LIG Nex1 |
| Unit cost | ₩ 2,000,000,000 (US$1.72 million) |
| Produced | 2010- |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 820 kg |
| Length | 5.7 m |
| Width | 0.38 m |
| Engine | TVC Rocket Motor |
Operational range | 19 km |
| Maximum speed | 45+ knots (83+ km/h) |
The missiles are planned to be deployed on KDX-II and KDX-III destroyers starting in 2010. Each destroyer will carry between 8 (KDX-II) and 16 (KDX-III) of the missiles. The development cost of the program was around US$ 80 million,[2] with a production cost of about $14 million.[2] They were designed in order to combat the potential threat of North Korean submarines.[2]
| Production Phase | Production Date | Production number | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | 2010-2012 | 60-70[3] | - |
| Phase 2 | 2013-2015[4] | n/a | - |
Ships
The Red Shark missiles are fitted to the following ship classes
- Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin class destroyer (KDX-II)
- King Sejong the Great class destroyer (KDX-III)
See also
- List of military equipment of Republic of Korea (section Torpedo/Anti-submarine)
- List of missiles by country
- List of naval weapon systems (section K)
- List of torpedoes by name
- Republic of Korea Navy (section Korean Destroyer Experimental (KDX) program)
References
- Yonhap News - S. Korea builds guided missile tipped with torpedo 6/22/2009
- "South Korea to produce Red Shark torpedoes". UPI. 21 August 2009. Retrieved 6 February 2011.
- Yonhap News - S. Korea to deploy advanced anti-sub missiles on destroyers 8/13/2009
- "Chosun Daily - 軍, 2012년까지 홍상어 60~70여기 배치 8/13/2009". Archived from the original on 16 September 2009. Retrieved 6 November 2009.