Korean-Designed Nuclear Submarine 'Jangbogo N' Project to Begin Next Year... Feasibility Study Waived

The Jangbogo N project to acquire a Korean-designed nuclear-powered submarine through domestic research and development will begin in 2027. The project has already been exempted from a feasibility study, paving the way for faster implementation. The hull will be designed and built through competitive bidding among domestic shipbuilders, with the submarine targeted to enter service in the late 2030s or later.

President Lee Jaemyung listens to a report on the master plan for developing nuclear-powered submarines at the first Future Defense Strategy Committee meeting in Jinhae-gu, Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, on May 26. Yonhap News Agency

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said on November 6 that the 179th Defense Acquisition Program Promotion Committee had reviewed and approved the “Basic Strategy for the Jangbogo N (KSS-III Batch-III) Project” at the Ministry of National Defense. The project aims to acquire a nuclear-powered submarine that can remain submerged longer and has greater maneuverability than existing diesel submarines.

The feasibility study, which typically takes one to two years, was waived under an exception for projects requiring a high level of security. A separate in-depth review will be conducted instead. The total project cost is undergoing cost analysis, and DAPA said it would not disclose the amount for security reasons.

The company responsible for developing and building the hull will be selected through competitive bidding. Based on the results of preliminary research, DAPA determined that domestic shipbuilders had reached a sufficient level of capability in submarine design and construction, and decided to proceed through competition rather than a negotiated contract.

However, the government will directly develop and procure the small modular reactor (SMR), the submarine’s core power source, as well as some key missiles, and provide them to the shipbuilder under a government-furnished equipment arrangement.

DAPA said, “We expect the nuclear-powered submarines acquired through this project to help strengthen deterrence against future security threats, including North Korea’s nuclear weapons and missiles, and bolster our self-reliant defense capabilities by establishing an underwater kill chain.”

At the committee meeting, the U.S. company Lockheed Martin’s S-92A+ was selected as the next-generation command helicopter. About KRW 873 billion will be invested to replace the command helicopters currently in service starting in 2031.

The committee also approved the Harbor Patrol Boat-II project to replace aging harbor patrol boats. About KRW 611 billion will be invested from 2028 to 2037. In a first for a naval vessel project, the basic design, detailed design, and lead ship construction phases will be integrated to shorten the project timeline and reduce costs.

About KRW 591 billion will be invested from 2028 to 2038 to acquire unmanned surface vessels for mine detection and removal. Under the Tactical Surface-to-Surface Guided Missile (KTSSM)-I Block-II project, about KRW 536 billion will be spent from 2028 to 2036 to acquire missiles and launchers with a range more than 30% greater than that of the existing Ure. The committee also approved revisions to the basic strategy for the Tactical Multiband Multirole Radio (TMMR) project and the second plan for follow-on production.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.