The Yoon Youngha-class patrol vessel (Hangul: 윤영하급 미사일고속함) also known as PKG-class patrol vessel is a class of patrol ship of the Republic of Korea Navy named after Yoon Young-ha. One variant is in active service and a smaller variant is planned. The first being the PKX-A or Yun Youngha-class missile patrol ship (Hangul: 윤영하급 고속함), and the second the PKX-B patrol boat (also known as Chamsuri-211-class patrol boat or Gumdoksuri-class patrol vessel).
Development The Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) began development of the PKG class in 2003 after a Chamsuri-class (PKM-class) patrol boat was sunk during a naval clash with North Korean patrol boats on June 29, 2002. The codenamed PKX (Patrol Killer eXperimental) program is the patrol boat modernization project of the ROKN.
The PKX consist of two main designs. The larger, missile armed, PKX-A(PKG) of approximately 500 tons and the smaller, gun and rocket armed, PKX-B(PKMR) of approximately 200 tons. PKX-A(PKG) is planned to take up some of the operations done by s, and the PKX-B(PKMR) is planned to replace the aging fleet.
The first PKX-A(PKG) vessels were ordered from Hanjin Heavy Industries. The lead ship of the class, Yoon Youngha, named after Lieutenant Commander Yoon Youngha who was killed during the second battle of Yeonpyeong, was launched on June 28, 2007 and commissioned on December 17, 2008. The production of the PKX-A(PKG) are being divided between Hanjin Heavy Industries and STX in lots of four.
The PKX-B variant includes a 130 mm guided rocket launcher at the stern. The first vessel was launched in July 2016 and was commissioned in late 2017; all four ships in the first batch will be delivered by the end of 2019. A contract was awarded to Hanjin Heavy Industries for ships 5 through 8 in June 2017, which are scheduled to be delivered after 2020. The contract for ships 9 through 12 were awarded in early 2018.South Korea's DAPA Orders Additional PKX-B Fast Attack Craft for ROK Navy - Navyrecognition.com, 28 June 2017 The PKX-B was specifically designed to counter North Korean fast swarming crafts. The 12-canister 130 mm guided rocket launcher can hit targets between using a rocket weighing with an warhead. Rockets have GPS/INS midcourse guidance with data uplink and terminal IIR homing, and three can be fired simultaneously.LIG Nex1 PKX-B 130mm Guided Rocket Launcher to Counter Swarm Attacks - Navyrecognition.com, 25 October 2017
Ships in the class Name Pennant number Builder Launched Commissioned Decommissioned StatusPKX-A(PKG)Yoon Youngha (윤영하)PKG-711Hanjin Heavy Industries28 June 200717 December 2008ActiveHan Sanggook (한상국)PKG-712STX Offshore & Shipbuilding23 September 200914 September 2011ActiveJo Chunhyung (조천형)PKG-713STX Offshore & Shipbuilding23 September 200914 September 2011ActiveHwang Dohyun (황도현)PKG-715STX Offshore & Shipbuilding11 December 200913 January 2012ActiveSuh Hoowon (서후원)PKG-716STX Offshore & Shipbuilding11 December 200928 November 2011ActivePark Donghyuk (박동혁)PKG-717Hanjin Heavy Industries28 July 201028 November 2011ActiveHyun Sihak (현시학)PKG-718Hanjin Heavy Industries28 July 2010ActiveJung Geungmo (정긍모)PKG-719Hanjin Heavy Industries2 November 201019 December 2011해군, 정긍모함 취역...PKG 개발 문제점 해결 ActiveJi Deokchil (지덕칠)PKG-721Hanjin Heavy Industries2 November 201023 December 2011ActiveLim Byeongrae (임병래)PKG-722STX Offshore & Shipbuilding20 November 20123 September 2013:ja:コムドクスリ級ミサイル艇ActiveHong Siuk (홍시욱)PKG-723STX Offshore & Shipbuilding20 November 201210 October 2013ActiveHong Daeseon (홍대선)PKG-725STX Offshore & Shipbuilding20 November 20124 November 2013ActiveHan Munsik (한문식)PKG-726Hanjin Heavy Industries24 April 201328 January 2014ActiveKim Changhak (김창학)PKG-727Hanjin Heavy Industries24 April 20134 March 2014ActivePark Dongjin (박동진)PKG-728Hanjin Heavy Industries24 April 20131 April 2014 ActiveKim Soohyun (김수현)PKG-729STX Offshore & Shipbuilding30 April 201430 September 2014 ActiveLee Byungchul (이병철)PKG-733STX Offshore & Shipbuilding30 April 201428 November 2014 ActiveJeon Byeongik (전병익)PKG-732STX Offshore & Shipbuilding24 June 201611 January 2018ActivePKX-B(PKMR)Chamsuri-211(참수리-211)PKMR-211Hanjin Heavy Industries28 July 201630 October 2017ActiveChamsuri-212(참수리-212)PKMR-212Hanjin Heavy Industries21 December 201828 November 2019ActiveChamsuri-213(참수리-213)PKMR-213Hanjin Heavy Industries21 December 201818 December 2019ActiveChamsuri-215(참수리-215)PKMR-215Hanjin Heavy Industries21 December 201831 December 2019ActiveChamsuri-216(참수리-216)PKMR-216Hanjin Heavy Industries13 December 2019ActiveChamsuri-217(참수리-217)PKMR-217Hanjin Heavy Industries13 December 2019ActiveChamsuri-218(참수리-218)PKMR-218Hanjin Heavy Industries13 December 2019ActiveChamsuri-219(참수리-219)PKMR-219Hanjin Heavy Industries13 December 2019ActiveChamsuri-221(참수리-221)PKMR-221Hanjin Heavy Industries29 December 2020ActiveChamsuri-222(참수리-222)PKMR-222Hanjin Heavy Industries29 December 2020ActiveChamsuri-223(참수리-223)PKMR-223Hanjin Heavy Industries29 December 2020ActiveChamsuri-225(참수리-225)PKMR-225Hanjin Heavy Industries29 December 2020ActiveChamsuri-226(참수리-226)PKMR-226Hanjin Heavy Industries12 May 2022ActiveChamsuri-227(참수리-227)PKMR-227Hanjin Heavy Industries12 May 2022ActiveChamsuri-228(참수리-228)PKMR-228Hanjin Heavy Industries12 May 2022ActiveChamsuri-229(참수리-229)PKMR-229Hanjin Heavy Industries12 May 2022Active The PKX-A first six ships were named after the sailors of patrol boat PKM 357, who were killed during the Second Battle of Yeonpyeong in 2002. South Korean navies do not use the number '0', '4' when assigning Pennant numbers to their ships. In Korea, there is a superstitious belief that '4' is an unlucky number (much like Friday the 13th). '0' is also considered as bad luck. There are two exceptions, though - MLS 560 Wonsan and submarines.
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