A cruise missile submarine is a submarine that carries and launches cruise missiles as its primary armament. Missiles greatly enhance a warship's ability to attack surface combatants and strike land targets; although torpedoes are a more discreet option for submerged submarines, missiles give a much longer stand-off range, shorter time to impact the target, as well as the ability to engage multiple targets on different headings at the same time. Many cruise missile submarines retain the capability to deploy nuclear warheads on their missiles, but they are considered distinct from ballistic missile submarines due to the substantial differences between the two weapons systems' flight characteristics; cruise missiles fly aerodynamically using flight surfaces like wings or fins, while a ballistic missile uses its engine power alone as it may exit the atmosphere.
A submarine-launched cruise missile (SLCM) is a cruise missile that is launched from a submarine. Current versions are typically standoff weapons known as land-attack cruise missiles (LACMs), which are used to attack predetermined land targets with conventional or nuclear payloads. Anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCMs) are also used, and some submarine-launched cruise missiles have variants for both functions.
The Republic of Korea Navy, also known as the ROK Navy or South Korean Navy, is the naval warfare service branch of the South Korean armed forces, responsible for naval and amphibious operations. The ROK Navy includes the Republic of Korea Marine Corps, which functions as a branch of the Navy. The ROK Navy has about 70,000 regular personnel including 29,000 Republic of Korea Marines. There are about 140 commissioned ships in the ROK Navy. The naval aviation force consists of about 70 fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft. The ROK Marine Corps has about 300 tracked vehicles including assault amphibious vehicles.
The Popeye is a family of air-to-surface missiles developed and in use by Israel, of which several types have been developed for Israeli and export users. A long-range submarine-launched cruise missile variant of the Popeye Turbo has been speculated as being employed in Israel's submarine-based nuclear forces. The United States operated the Popeye under a different designation according to US naming conventions as the AGM-142 Have Nap.
The Type 209 is a range of diesel-electric attack submarines developed exclusively for export by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft of Germany. Five class variants, including modifications thereof, have been successfully exported to 15 countries, with 68 submarines being built and commissioned to five different variants between 1971 and 2021. More boats have been built to modified designs.
The Hyunmoo-3 is a cruise missile fielded by the South Korean military designed by Agency for Defense Development (ADD). The name Hyunmoo comes from a mythical beast described as the "Guardian of the Northern Sky", perhaps hinting North Korea.
The Novator RK-55 Relief is a Russian Navy cruise missile that is launched either from submarines (SLCM) or from surface ships. It can have a nuclear warhead developed in the Soviet Union. A version launched from submarine torpedo tubes, the S-10 Granat, has apparently been converted to carry conventional warheads and continues in service to this day. The Russian Federation was reported to have deployed the derivative SS-CX-7/SS-CX-8 systems on 14 February 2017. The land launched version is called the Novator 9M729.
The SSM-700K C-Star (Haeseong) is a ship-launched sea-skimming surface-to-surface anti-ship cruise missile developed by the South Korean Agency for Defense Development (ADD), LIG Nex1 and the Republic of Korea Navy in 2003. The missiles are deployed on KDX-II and KDX-III destroyers as of 2006, each carrying 8 and 16 of the missiles respectively, and on Ulsan-class frigates.
The Jang Bogo-class submarine or KSS-I is a variant of the Type 209 diesel-electric attack submarine initially developed by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) of Germany, intended for service with the South Korean Navy and Indonesian Navy. A Daewoo (DSME)-upgraded model of the Jang Bogo class Type 209 was exported by Korea to Indonesia in 2012, amid heavy competition from Russian, French, and German-Turkish consortiums including from Germany's original Type 209. The variant was considered for possible purchase by Thailand as well, as both newly built and second-hand options. The class is named for ancient Korean maritime figure Jang Bogo.
Nampo-class minelayer or MLS-II is a new class of anti-submarine warfare minelayers built by Hyundai Heavy Industries for the Republic of Korea Navy.
The KSS-III, often called Dosan Ahn Changho class is a series of diesel-electric attack submarines currently being built for the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN), jointly by Hanwha Ocean and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI). The KSS-III is the final phase of the Korean Attack Submarine program, a three-phased program to build 27 attack submarines for the ROKN, between 1994–2029.
ROKS Marado (LPH-6112) is the second ship of the Dokdo-class amphibious assault ship of the Republic of Korea Navy.
ROKS Sohn Won-yil (SS-072) is the lead boat of the Sohn Won-yil-class submarine in the Republic of Korea Navy. She is named after the admiral, Sohn Won-yil.
ROKS Jeong Ji (SS-073) is the second boat of the Sohn Won-yil-class submarine in the Republic of Korea Navy. She is named after the general, Jeong Ji.
ROKS An Jung-geun (SS-075) is the third boat of the Sohn Won-yil-class submarine in the Republic of Korea Navy. She is named after the Korean nationalist, An Jung-geun.
ROKS Kim Jwa-jin (SS-076) is the fourth boat of the Sohn Won-yil-class submarine in the Republic of Korea Navy. She is named after the anarchist, Kim Jwa-jin.
ROKS Yun Bong-gil (SS-077) is the fifth boat of the Sohn Won-yil-class submarine in the Republic of Korea Navy. She is named after the Korean independence activist, Yun Bong-gil.
ROKS Yu Gwan-sun (SS-078) is the sixth boat of the Sohn Won-yil-class submarine in the Republic of Korea Navy. She is named after the Korean independence activist, Yu Gwan-sun.
ROKS Hong Beom-do (SS-079) is the seventh boat of the Sohn Won-yil-class submarine in the Republic of Korea Navy. She is named after the Korean independence activist, Hong Beom-do.
ROKS Lee Beom-seok (SS-081) is the eighth boat of the Sohn Won-yil-class submarine in the Republic of Korea Navy. She is named after the Korean independence activist, Lee Beom-seok.
South Korea
