Romeo-class Submarine
Type: Diesel-Electric Submarine
Domain: sea
Country of Origin: North Korea
Manufacturer: Korean Peoples Army Munitions Industry
First Deployed: 1975
Overview
North Korea operates the world's largest fleet of Romeo-class diesel-electric submarines — approximately 20+ vessels built domestically from Chinese-supplied designs based on the Soviet Project 633. These submarines are primarily suited for coastal defense and mine laying operations in Korean waters. The Romeo is a 1950s design and is acoustically very noisy, making it extremely vulnerable to modern anti-submarine warfare. Their operational value in a conflict with US/South Korean ASW forces is minimal, but they can harass shipping and conduct mine operations.
Technical Specifications
| crew | 54 |
|---|---|
| length | 76.6 m |
| armament | 8x 533mm torpedo tubes, mines |
| endurance | 45 days |
| displacement | 1,475 tonnes surfaced |
| max_speed_surfaced | 15.2 knots |
| max_speed_submerged | 13 knots |
Operators
- North Korea
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