K-ASROC (Hong Sang Eo)

Korean Anti-Submarine ROCket — a vertically launched anti-submarine weapon that combines a rocket booster with the Blue Shark lightweight torpedo, enabling surface warships to engage submarine targets at ranges far beyond the reach of hull-mounted torpedo tubes. Named "Hong Sang Eo" (Red Shark). Launched from the K-VLS aboard KDX-III destroyers, the rocket booster carries the torpedo to a designated splash point up to 30+ km from the launching ship, where the torpedo enters the water and autonomously searches for and engages the submarine target. The rocket trajectory is programmed based on sonar contact data from the ship's combat management system. This standoff anti-submarine capability is critical for the ROK Navy given the significant North Korean submarine threat in the confined waters of the Korean Peninsula.