The South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) launched the lead ship of the KDX-III Batch-II AEGIS destroyer project.

The Chosun Ilbo reported about this.

The new Jeongjo the Great (DDG-995) destroyer is designated for the Republic of Korea Navy.

The launching ceremony was held at the Hyundai Heavy Industries shipyard in Ulsan on 28th of July.

The construction of the Jeongjo the Great Batch-II guided-missile destroyer was ordered from HHI in 2019. Construction began in 2021.

The keel of the lead ship of the KDX-III destroyer project was laid in October 2021.

The ship is equipped with the Aegis system. It will be the first of three next-generation destroyers that will enable the South Korean Navy to intercept ballistic missiles.

The Batch II destroyers will be equipped with more advanced systems and weapons than the Batch I ships.

The new ships will receive improved combat systems capable of detecting and accompanying targets at a longer range.

The length of the ship is 170 m (3 m longer than the Batch I ships), the breadth is 21 m, the light displacement is 8,100 tons (7,600 tons in the Batch I). DDG-995 will be able to develop a maximum speed of 30 knots.

Hyundai Heavy Industries began designing the KDX-3 Batch-II ships in May 2016, after signing the contract.

The total cost of the destroyers is estimated at 3.9 trillion won ($3.3 billion).