The Korean vertical launching system (KVLS; ), or K-VLS is a hot-launch vertical launching system developed by South Korea to be deployed by the Republic of Korea Navy. It is used in the Sejong the Great-class destroyer, KSS-III submarine, and is scheduled to be added to the Daegu-class frigate. The K-VLS can deploy the Cheongung air defense missile (KM-SAM), Haegung air defense missile (K-SAAM), K745A1 Red Shark anti-submarine missile, Haeseong-II, Hyunmoo-3 land-attack cruise missilesROK Navy Launches New Warship Capable of Hitting Targets Inside North Korea - Thediplomat.com, 9 June 2016 and even SLBMs.
Three systems may be referred to as K-VLS. The "K-VLS" is comparable in size and role to the strike-length Mk 41 VLS. It comes in 8-cell modules sized at 3.165 m × 2.076 m × 7.7 m. The "K-VLS Compact" is specialized for the K-SAAM surface-to-air missile. It comes in modules of 4 cells, sized at 2.9 m × 2.6 m × 4.9 m (length-width-height). Its role can be compared to the Mk 48/56 VLS for RIM-162 ESSM. Dosan Ahn Changho-class submarines use a K-VLS that has a module size different from either version. Presumably this is a distinct variant comparable in role to the US Mk 45.
A newer version called KVLS-II was unveiled in 2021. It comes in modules of 4 cells, sized at 3.0 m × 2.4 m × 9.8 m (L-W-H). An upsized system with increased exhaust handling capacity, its role is comparable to the US Mk 57 VLS.
Ships using KVLS Class Ship type K-VLS complement Chungmugong Yi Sun-shin-class (KDX-II) Destroyer 24 K-VLS Sejong the Great-class (KDX-III) Destroyer 48 K-VLS (Batch I) / 16 K-VLS + 24 K-VLS II (Batch II) Daegu-class (FFX-II) Frigate 16 K-VLSChungnam-class (FFX-III)Frigate16 K-VLS Nampo-class Minelayer 4 K-VLS Compact Cheon Wang Bong-class LST 4 K-VLS Compact Dosan Ahn Changho-class (KSS-III) Attack submarine 6 K-VLS Submarine (Batch I) / 10 K-VLS Submarine (Batch II) Dokdo-class LPH 4 K-VLS Compact
See also GJB 5860-2006 - A vertical launching system of People's Liberation Army Navy Mark 41 Vertical Launching System - A vertical launching system of United States Navy. 3S-14 - A vertical launching system of Russian Navy for cruise, anti-ship and anti-submarine missiles. Sylver - A vertical launching system designed by DCNS.
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