
Specifications
Year: 2014
Ships-in-Class: 7
Named Ships: Some seven boats of the class are known as of 2017.
Roles: Hunter; Direct-Attack;
Ships-in-Class: 7
Named Ships: Some seven boats of the class are known as of 2017.
Roles: Hunter; Direct-Attack;
Complement: 75
Length: 215 ft (65.53 m)
Width: 21.65 ft (6.60 m)
Displacement (Surface): 2,000 tons
Length: 215 ft (65.53 m)
Width: 21.65 ft (6.60 m)
Displacement (Surface): 2,000 tons
Propulsion: Conventional diesel-electric arrangement driving power to 1 x Shaft astern.
Speed (Surface): 16 kts (18 mph)
Speed (Submerged): 10 kts (12 mph)
Range: 1,499 nm (1,725 miles; 2,776 km)
Speed (Submerged): 10 kts (12 mph)
Range: 1,499 nm (1,725 miles; 2,776 km)
Operators: North Korea
The Sinpo-class is expected to succeed the aging line of Soviet-era Romeo-class submarines of which the KPN was a customer of (some 77 were taken into service). The Sinpo-class is also known as the Pongdae-class.
The Snipo family of boats makes use of a conventional diesel-electric propulsion scheme and is believed influenced in design and arrangement by various Soviet-era submarines. Overall length is estimated at 65.5 meters with a beam reaching 6.6 meters giving the boat a relatively compact footprint. Performance, also estimated, includes a surface-going speed of 16 knots and a submerged speed nearing 10 knots. Range is out to 1,500 nautical miles.
The diesel-electric propulsion indicates that diesel units are used for surface travel and battery packs feed an electrical drive system for submerged work. This forces the boat to surface to recharge the battery supply and exhaust dangerous CO2 gasses.
The boat boasts both traditional torpedo armament (perhaps 4 x 533mm bow-mounted tubes) and support for the Pukkuksong-1 (KN-11) Surface-Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM). The latter weapon is known to have been test-launched from a Sinpo-class submarine in May of 2015. It is a single-stage, solid-propellant fueled rocket with a 1,000 kilometer range.
Up to seven boats of the class are currently recognized with one already having entered service and six believed under construction.
Up to seven boats of the class are currently recognized with one already having entered service and six believed under construction.
Armament
4 x 533mm (21") torpedo tubes in bow.
3 x Missile tubes for Pukkuksong-1 (KN-11) ballistic missiles.
Air Wing
None.