On April 25, the North Korean Navy officially unveiled its most modern domestically-built guided missile destroyer. The launch ceremony for the vessel, which has been officially named “Choe Hyon,” was led by Kim Jong Un at the Nampho shipyard, where the unit was built. The official presentation of the “Choe Hyon” revealed various features. Firstly, according to the official statement issued on April 25 for the ceremony, it was reported that the destroyer has an approximate displacement of five thousand tons, without providing further details regarding its dimensions.
Intended to bolster the capabilities of the North Korean Navy’s East Sea Fleet, the “Choe Hyon” could be the lead ship of a new class of destroyers that would bear the same name. This is inferred from the statement by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), which mentioned: “…the new multi-mission destroyer of 5,000 tons displacement was classified and designated as the Choe Hyon class, and named in honor of the anti-Japanese revolutionary fighter Choe Hyon…”
Regarding its design, and despite being designated as a destroyer, its reported displacement would place it within the realm of multipurpose frigates. Nevertheless, the designation chosen by the North Korean Navy would correspond to its anticipated anti-air, anti-surface, and land-attack capabilities.
As seen in the images that circulated on April 25, the vessel’s main armament located at the bow appears to be a naval gun, presumably of 127mm caliber. Additionally, various sections of the superstructure, particularly toward the stern, show a point air defense system of the CIWS type, with a design similar to the navalized version of the Russian Pantsir-ME system. Furthermore, a pair of 30mm AK-630 rotary anti-aircraft guns are visible on both the port and starboard sides.
However, what has drawn the most attention from specialists are the various types of vertical launch systems (VLS) observed, which could accommodate different types of missiles, ranging from air defense missiles to those intended for anti-surface and land-attack missions.
In the absence of more detailed information, it has been identified that the destroyer’s VLS system could include four or five different types of cells, consisting of 32 small cells, 12 medium-sized cells, 20 larger cells, and 10 even larger ones.
For comparison, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, depending on the type, carries between 90 and 96 cells, while the future Constellation-class frigates of the United States Navy will have a total of 32 cells — a matter that has already generated controversy within the service.
The presence of various large-sized cells could indicate that the “Choe Hyon” may be capable of deploying several types of cruise missiles, as well as serving as a platform for launching ballistic missiles developed and produced by North Korea. This is a significant detail, as the South Korean Navy is also advancing several programs to develop and build vessels capable of launching ballistic missiles — a trend that could gain momentum in the coming years.
Finally, due to the opacity surrounding the plans and information provided by the North Korean regime, it remains to be seen whether this first ship will be followed by additional units, as well as when the necessary harbor and sea trials will take place, along with evaluations of the combat systems, sensors, and weaponry of the new “Choe Hyon” class destroyer.
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