ROKS Yulgok Yi I (DDG-992) is the second ship of the Sejong the Great-class destroyers that was built for the Republic of Korea Navy. She was designed around the Aegis Combat System and was named after philosopher and scholar of the Joseon Dynasty, Yulgok Yi I.[1]

ROKS Yulgok Yi I on 22 December 2015
South Korea
Name	Yulgok Yi I (율곡이이/栗谷李珥)
Namesake	Yulgok Yi I
Builder	DSME
Launched	14 November 2008
Commissioned	31 August 2010
Identification	Pennant number: DDG-992
Status	Active
General characteristics
Class and type	Sejong the Great-class destroyer
Displacement	8,500 tons standard displacement 11,000 tons full load
Length	166 m (544 ft 7 in)
Beam	21.4 m (70 ft 3 in)
Draft	6.25 m (20 ft 6 in)
Propulsion	4 × General Electric LM2500 COGAG; 2 × shafts; 100,000 shp (75 MW) produced power
Speed	exceeds 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph)
Range	5,500 nautical miles (10,200 km; 6,300 mi)
Endurance	30 days
Complement	300 crew
Sensors and processing systems	AN/SPY-1D(V) multi-function radar AN/SPG-62 fire control radar DSQS-21BZ-M hull mounted sonar SQR-220K towed array sonar system Sagem Infrared Search & Track (IRST) system
Electronic warfare & decoys	LIG Nex1 SLQ-200K Sonata electronic warfare suite
Armament	1 × 5 inch (127 mm)/L62 caliber Mk 45 Mod 4 naval gun 1 × 30 mm Goalkeeper CIWS 1 × RAM Block 1 CIWS 16 × SSM-700K Haeseong Anti-ship Missiles 2 × triple torpedo tubes for K745 Blue Shark torpedo 80-cell Mk 41 VLS for SM-2 Block IIIB/IV 48-cell K-VLS for: K-ASROC Red Shark Hyunmoo III land attack cruise missiles
Aircraft carried	2 × Super Lynx or SH-60 Seahawk
Aviation facilities	Hangar and helipad

Background

The ship features the Aegis Combat System (Baseline 7 Phase 1) combined with AN/SPY-1D multi-function radar antennae.[1]

The Sejong the Great class is the third phase of the South Korean navy's Korean Destroyer eXperimental (KDX) program, a substantial shipbuilding program, which is geared toward enhancing ROKN's ability to successfully defend the maritime areas around South Korea from various modes of threats as well as becoming a blue-water navy.[2]

At 8,500 tons standard displacement and 11,000 tons full load, the KDX-III Sejong the Great destroyers are by far the largest destroyers in the South Korean Navy, and indeed are larger than most destroyers in the navies of other countries.[3] and built slightly bulkier and heavier than Arleigh Burke-class destroyers or Atago-class destroyers to accommodate 32 more missiles. As such, some analysts believe that this class of ships is more appropriately termed a class of cruisers rather than destroyers.[4] KDX-III are currently the largest ships to carry the Aegis combat system.[5]

Construction and career

ROKS Yulgok Yi I was launched on 14 November 2008 by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering. She was commissioned into Republic of Korea Navy service on 31 August 2010.

RIMPAC Exercise

Republic of Korea Navy has actively participated in the recent iterations of the Rim of the Pacific Exercise or RIMPAC, which is held biennially from Honolulu, Hawaii. The exercises seeks to enhance interoperability among Pacific Rim armed forces, as a means of promoting stability in the region to the benefit of all participating nations. ROKS Yulgok Yi I has participated in the exercises on 2012 and 2018.[6]

Gallery

• ROKS Yulgok Yi I Gallery
• 
  USS Blue Ridge and ROKS Yulgok Yi I sail in formation in the Sea of Japan on March 6, 2012.
• 
  ROKS Yulgok Yi I launching a SM-2 anti-aircraft missile during RIMPAC 2012.
• 
  ROKS Yulgok Yi I firing her main gun on 6 February 2013.
• 
  A band plays aboard ROKS Yulgok Yi I during the 70th Anniversary of founding Republic of Korea Navy on 10 November 2015.
• 
  ROKS Yulgok Yi I during the National Fleet Review on 17 October 2015.
• 
  ROKS Yulgok Yi I during the National Fleet Review on 17 October 2015.
• 
  ROKS Yulgok Yi I during the National Fleet Review on 17 October 2015.
• 
  From front to back, USS Momsen, ROKS Seoae Ryu Seong-ryong, USS Decatur, ROKS Yulgok Yi I and ROKS Kwang Myung on 22 May 2016.
• 
  From front to back, USS Momsen, ROKS Seoae Ryu Seong-ryong, USS Decatur, ROKS Yulgok Yi I and ROKS Kwang Myung on 22 May 2016.

References