The Korean vertical launching system (K-VLS or KVLS) is a hot-launch

vertical launching system A vertical launching system (VLS) is an advanced system for holding and firing missiles on mobile naval platforms, such as surface ships and submarines. Each vertical launch system consists of a number of ''cells'', which can hold one or mo ...

developed by

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...

to be deployed by the

Republic of Korea Navy The Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN; ), also known as the ROK Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces, South Korean armed forces, responsible for naval and Amphibious warfare, amphibious operations. The South ...

. It is used in the Sejong the Great-class destroyer, KSS-III submarine, and is scheduled to be added to the

Daegu-class frigate The ''Daegu''-class frigate (Hangul: 대구급 호위함, Hanja: 大邱級護衛艦) is a class of guided missile frigates of the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN). The ''Daegu'' class is based on the preceding , and has otherwise been referred to a ...

. The K-VLS can deploy the Cheongung air defense missile (KM-SAM), Haegung air defense missile (K-SAAM),

K745A1 Red Shark The K745A1 Red Shark () torpedo, also called the K-ASROC, is a vertically launched anti-submarine missile successively developed and tested by Korea University of Science and Technology, the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) and the Republic ...

anti-submarine missile An anti-submarine missile is a standoff missile, standoff anti-submarine weapon, often a specialized variant of anti-ship missile. Anti-submarine missiles usually include a jet engine, jet or rocket engine, rocket engine and a warhead aimed di ...

, Haeseong-II, Hyunmoo-3 land-attack

cruise missile A cruise missile is an unmanned self-propelled guided missile that sustains flight through aerodynamic lift for most of its flight path. Cruise missiles are designed to deliver a large payload over long distances with high precision. Modern cru ...

s and even SLBMs. Three systems may be referred to as K-VLS. * The "K-VLS" is comparable in size and role to the strike-length Mk 41 VLS. It comes in 8-cell modules sized at 3.165 m × 2.076 m × 7.7 m. * The "K-VLS Compact" is specialized for the

K-SAAM The K-SAAM (Korean Surface-to-Anti Air Missile; ) is a South Korean short range ship-launched surface-to-air missile (SAM) system that is being developed by the Agency for Defense Development (ADD), LIG Nex1 and Hanhwa Defense. It features inert ...

surface-to-air missile. It comes in modules of 4 cells, sized at 2.9 m × 2.6 m × 4.9 m (length-width-height). Its role can be compared to the Mk 48/56 VLS for

RIM-162 ESSM The RIM-162 Evolved SeaSparrow Missile (ESSM) is a development of the RIM-7 Sea Sparrow missile used to protect ships from attacking missiles and aircraft. ESSM is designed to counter supersonic maneuvering anti-ship missiles. ESSM also has the ab ...

. * Dosan Ahn Changho-class submarines use a K-VLS that has a module size different from either version. Presumably this is a distinct variant comparable in role to the US Mk 45. A newer version called KVLS-II was unveiled in 2021. It comes in modules of 4 cells, sized at 3.0 m × 2.4 m × 9.8 m (L-W-H). An upsized system with increased exhaust handling capacity, its role is comparable to the US Mk 57 VLS.

Ships using KVLS

References

External links

{{SouthKorea-mil-stub Ship-based missile launchers Post–Cold War weapons of South Korea Naval weapons of South Korea ADD research and development projects Vertical launch systems

Ships using KVLS

See also

References

External links