By Xavier Vavasseur - Editor in Chief
On Friday, November 16, 2018 in Ulsan, Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) launched HANSANDO (ATH-81), the first training ship for the Republic of Korea Navy (ROK Navy). It set to be commissioned in early 2021.
On Friday, November 16, 2018 in Ulsan, Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) launched HANSANDO (ATH-81), the first training ship for the Republic of Korea Navy (ROK Navy).
The acronym ATH is an abbreviation of Auxiliary Training Ship Helo. HANSANDO is also designed to serve as a hospital ship and emergency response. It takes its name from an island south of the peninsula near which Admiral Yi Sun-sin had won a battle against a Japanese fleet in 1592.
The 4,500-ton, 142-meter-long ship can sail more than 12,000 km at the speed of 18kts (33km/h). The maximum pace is 24kts. It's equipped with 76-mm and 40-mm guns and anti-missile decoy system and is able to accommodate more than 400 people, installed with huge lecture rooms, dispensary, surgery rooms and sickbeds.
HHI HDT-5500 Training Ship Design Unveiled at MADEX 2017. Note the dual bridge design.
The vessel is fitted with two naval guns a systems: A Hyundai Wia 76mm main gun forward and a 40mm secondary gun on top of the helicopter hangar. There is also provision space for a number of K-VLS vertical launch systems aft (but the vessel will not be delivered with VLS). The vessel is also set to be fitted with chaff launchers, torpedo launchers and electronic warfare systems (ECM/ESM) and a hull mounter sonar.
Stern doors and ramps allow for the easy launch and recovery of RHIBs. There is also a deck and hangar for a medium size helicopter.
The vessel features dual compartments for all major systems such as two CICs, two engineering compartments and even two bridges as can be seen on the model. The crew complement will be around 150 sailors.
While the vessel will be used for crew training of ROK Navy cadets (in their third year of training), the vessel will be able to conduct maritime security missions if needed.
