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| List of North Korean Submarine Fleet Which the World Rarely Knows |
Pyongyang - South Korea and Japan are most often "angry" over North Korean ballistic missile launches. The country led by the Kim family is indeed famous for its ballistic missile strength. Not infrequently, other countries including the United States feel pressured by the strength of their eastern competitors. But apart from ballistic missiles, North Korea also has a powerful submarine fleet.
Quoted from 19fortyfive.com, here are the submarines they have.
1. Sang-O-Class Diesel-Electric Coastal Submarine
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| Sang-O-Class Diesel-Electric Coastal Submarine |
North Korea alone is estimated to have 64 to 84 submarines in total. And 40 of them are Sang-O Class which is still in operation. The submarines of this class made their debut in 1991.
It has a top speed of 9 knots, with a hull length of 111 feet (34 meters), a beam width of 12.4 feet (3.8 meters), and a surface displacement of 275 tons.
The Sang-O II class in 2005 had a slight increase. In terms of length, speed and weight than its predecessor. Because the top speed of the Sang-O II class is about 15 knots, length is 127 feet (39 meters), and displacement is 340 tons. The first Sang-O class apparently fought on the Korean Peninsula after the Cold War.
2. Romeo Class Type 033 Diesel-Electric Submarine
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| Romeo Class Type 033 Diesel-Electric Submarine |
There are an estimated 20 Type 033s in service in North Korea. It is the second most used submarine in their navy. The Type 003 itself is a Chinese-made variant of the Soviet-designed "Romeo" Project 633. Which was produced between 1962 and 1984.
The Soviet submarine Romeo weighs 1,475 tons, is 251 feet (76.6 meters) long, and 22 feet (6.7 meters) wide. The North Korean Navy's only submarine capable of long-range patrols. It is believed that the Type 003 submarine will be used for North Korea's special maritime missions.
3. Yugo and Yono Class Diesel-Electric Midget Submarines
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| Yugo and Yono Class Diesel-Electric Midget Submarines |
The North Korean Navy has up to 20 of these submarines. Notable for its small size, with a length of 65 to 72 feet (20 to 22 meters), and a beam of 9 feet (2.75 meters). It is believed that a mini submarine sank the South Korean Navy corvette in 2010.
4. Sinpo/Gorae Class Diesel-Electric Submarine
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| Sinpo/Gorae Class Diesel-Electric Submarine |
It is the newest and largest submarine designed and built for the North Korean Navy. First launched in 2014. The submarine is powered by diesel-electric propulsion.
Because of this, the ship with a length of 219 feet (66.75 meters), a beam width of 22 feet (6.7 meters), and a surface displacement of 1,455 tons, can travel at a top speed of 10 knots. In October 2021, North Korea used this submarine to launch the KN-23 short-range ballistic missile (SRBM).