Haema-class midget submarine

The Haema (Seahorse) class midget submarine will be the newest addition to the Korean National Navy. The Haema-class is intended to replace formerly North Korean midget submarines - notably the Sang-O-class and the Yono-class - and the introduction of the Haema-class will accompany the retirement of aging Romeo-class submarines.

The introduction of modern midget submarines instead of simply retiring aging and technologically irrelevant systems is intentional, and symbolizes a change in the KNN's doctrine. While previously the South Korean navy drew up designs for aircraft carriers with the intent of projecting power, the new KNN is concerned with our coastline.

Korea's threats can come from precisely two sources: via the land border with China, and via naval landings coming from the sea. Midget submarines will be one aspect of the KNN's adapting mission, to properly address the massive threat that naval invasions are for the nation. The Haema-class will be produced en masse, and should an amphibious threat be presented, they will swarm the landing force and annihilate it.

Utilizing experience gained from the Chang Bogo-class refits and the Sohn Wonyil-class submarine, the Haema-class will utilize a domestically built air-independent propulsion system for ultimate stealth. A back-up diesel-electric system will be maintained as well. As for sensors, following Indian grant of access to the USHUS sonar system, LIG Nex1 will create the USHUS-K variant, utilizing domestic assets, as well as a navigation radar system. The hull will be made non-magnetic, so as to reduce detection probability.

Alongside the Haema-class SSM will be two other technologies - the Gwisangeo unmanned underwater vehicle, and the K001 Naval Mine.

The Gwisangeo-A (Hammerhead-A) UUV will be the first variant of a planned UUV series. The A variant will, for now, essentially be a pilot-able torpedo. Designed to be deployed from 533mm torpedo tubes, it will use sonar data from the parent submarine and a small navigation radar to accurately deliver a payload to the destination. This is primarily to be a technology demonstrator for future, larger UUVs.

The K001 Naval Mine will take inspiration from the American Mark 60 CAPTOR to design a fully domestic naval mine series surrounding the Blue Shark and White Shark_torpedo) torpedoes. The K001-L (for the lightweight Blue Shark variant) and the K001-H (for the heavyweight White Shark variant) will both involve a similar system of being housed at on the ocean floor in an aluminum casing, utilizing acoustic monitoring to differentiate between friendly or enemy ships/submarines. The K001 will be utilized against ships and submarines alike, with the heavyweight variant for ships and the lightweight variant for submarines, and can be remotely detonated/launched/disarmed if need be. The K001 will be able to be deployed from plane, ship, or submarine alike.

Development will cost around $850 million, and be completed by 2030.

Procurement will be an initial batch of 60 Haema-class vessels, named Haema-001 to Haema-060. With the size and simplicity of these subs, they can be built quickly.