Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

[1st Naval Fleet] For more systematic and realistic antisubmarine warfare

1st Command Fleet, commanded by Rear Admiral Park Ki-kyung, is operating TF for antisubmarine warfare, enhancing its mission capabilities systematically and realistically.

The East Sea, the so-called heaven of submarines, provides a useful, but complex, marine environment for submarines, so it requires more thorough antisubmarine operational readiness compared to other seas. Accordingly, the 1st Fleet has organized the antisubmarine TF team, consisting of around 30 experts in areas of antisubmarine warfare, such as tactical doctrine, education and training, equipment capacity, and evaluation inspection, etc, since last November, conducting professional and detailed missions.

By operating systematically over the last six months, the TF team has delivered many accomplishments for improving antisubmarine warfare capability.

Among them, it established how to operate sonar and its standards by fleet considering the objective of antisubmarine warfare and the environment, and then developed a plan to effectively run the sonar of the antisubmarine. By making an operation checklist for antisubmarine situations, the unit required each fighting force utilize it for antisubmarine operation.

The TF also built a database of antisubmarines. The D/B includes data that antisubmarines can use in action, such as the time of year, results of submarine contact and detection by waters, training performance for each antisubmarine situation, and measured values.

Moreover, with education and training that expands the antisubmarine alliance and opportunity training, and holds antisubmarine tactical discussions and seminars, the TF team enhanced the professionalism and fighting will of the antisubmarine fleet officials. It, furthermore, conducted a complete enumeration survey for all the sonar equipment of the fleets to make sure its performance is in good condition and to ensure it displays the best in fighting power. The 1st Fleet investigated equipment performance for around 1,100 points by fleet, including transmission output, receiving sensitivity, etc., and compensated for and improved any defective parts for antisubmarine operation.

Lastly, a comprehensive fleet antisubmarine ability table was created to make it possible for a self-diagnosis of its antisubmarine capability. It can recognize strong and weak points of antisubmarine actions itself by specifically organizing the antisubmarine capability of the fleet. Antisubmarines are improving their mission capabilities and compensating for their weaknesses actively using this table.

Rear Admiral Kwon Jung-seob, Maritime Action Group Commander of the 1stFleet,said,“Every fleet is prepared for systematic and realistic antisubmarine warfare readiness, through the antisubmarine TF. We will sink and bury every single enemy submarine in any situation.”

By Ah-Mi, Cho <joajoa@dema.mil.kr>

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