Ulsan-class frigate

The Ulsan-class FF (Frigate) (Hangul: 울산급 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
Name	Ulsan class
Builders	Hyundai Heavy Industries Korea Shipbuilding Corporation Korea Tacoma Shipyard Daewoo Shipyard
Operators	Republic of Korea Navy
Succeeded by	Incheon class
Completed	9
Active	2
Retired	5
Preserved	2
General characteristics
Type	Frigate
Displacement	1,500 t (empty) 2,180 t (full, Batch I) 2,215 t (full, Batch II–III)
Length	103.7 m (340 ft 3 in)
Beam	12.5 m (41 ft 0 in)
Draught	3.8 m (12 ft 6 in)
Propulsion	CODOG 2 × GE LM2500 gas turbine engine 2 × MTU 12V 956 TB82 diesel engine
Speed	35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph)
Range	8,000 nmi (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Complement	186 (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	Primary gun: 2 × OTO Melara 76 mm/62 cannon Secondary gun: 4 × Emerson EMERLEC 30 twin Oerlikon 30 mm/75 KCB cannon (Batch I) 3 × Breda DARDO CIWS twin Bofors 40 mm/70 cannon (Batch II–III) Anti-ship: 2 × 4 RGM-84C Harpoon SSM Anti-submarine: 2 × triple Mark 32 SVTT loaded with Mark 46 ASW torpedo, or K745 Blue Shark ASW torpedo (after 2006) 12 × Mk 9 or KMk 9 depth charge

Design

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

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	Used by the Naval Battle Training Group Eight as reserve & training ship.
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

Bangladesh Navy

 

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.

• BNS Bangabandhu

See also

• List of active Republic of Korea Navy ships
• List of naval ship classes in service

References

1. 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" (in Korean). Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
3. 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. Lee, Byung-rok (29 December 2017). "충남함 전역식". Naver (in Korean). Retrieved 13 December 2021.
6. Lee, Young-jae (27 December 2017). "국산 1세대 전투함 '충남함' 32년 임무 완수하고 전역" (in Korean). Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved 13 December 2021.