Submarine Q.O.T.W. - 16 APR 2015

Background

In today's THE DIPLOMAT, authors ask Will Corruption Undermine South Korea's Sub Modernization Program?   Described modernization includes [color emphasis added]:

The ROK Navy is also in the process of acquiring nine German Type 214 — designated Son Won-II-class — diesel-electric attack submarines built under license by Hyundai Heavy Industries and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering in South Korea.

The four 1,800-ton ships already in service with the ROK Navy are equipped with air independent propulsion systems and, according to some reports, will also be upgraded with vertical-launch systems (VLS) for missiles. The ambitious plan is to commission five more Son Won-II-class subs by 2015, with an option of adding three more at a later stage.

The most ambitious project so far is South Korea’s first indigenously produced modern 3,000-ton diesel-electric attack submarine – designated KSS-III – equipped with, “multiple vertical launch tubes to fire 1,500-kilometer cruise missiles that could hit key targets in North Korea,” according to Defense News.

Submarine Questions of the Week

1 - TRUE or FALSE: There was no Son Won I class?
2-  TRUE or FALSE: KSS designates the project to build up the Republic of Korea's Navy Attack Submarine program in phases KSS-I, KSS-II, and KSS-III?
3- TRUE or FALSE: In KSS-II (the second phase) the lead ship of her class, ROKS Son Won-il (SS 072) was launched in 2006, the first of nine 1,800-ton Type 214 AIP subs?
4- TRUE or FALSE:  A total of nine 3,000-ton KSS-III submarines are expected to be built in South Korea with indigenous technologies (i.e. not going under license as the previous KSS-I and KSS-II submarines).
5- TRUE or FALSE: The first KSS-III, with vertical launch tubes and 1,500-kilometer cruise missiles, is scheduled for service by 2022.  
6- TRUE or FALSE:  Due to sensitive technologies the KSS-IIIs will be built indigenously and likely blocked from export.
7-  In February 2015, South Korea launched an independent submarine command — only the sixth of its kind in the world — bringing operations, logistics, training, and maintenance under one roof, according to Republic of Korea (ROK) naval officials. What are the other 5 nations with independent submarine commands?
 
ANSWERS:  Monday, 20 APR 2015 
Submarines are always silent and strange.