Recent satellite images show North Korea is building its largest and most advanced warship yet

Recent satellite imagery reveals what may be the largest warship ever constructed by North Korea, potentially exceeding the size of any vessel currently in leader Kim Jong Un’s naval fleet by more than twofold.

Images captured by independent satellite firms Maxar Technologies and Planet Labs on April 6 depict the ship being built at the Nampo shipyard, located on North Korea’s western coast, approximately 60 kilometers (37 miles) southwest of Pyongyang.

Experts suggest that the images indicate the ongoing development of the ship’s weaponry and internal systems, which is expected to be a guided-missile frigate (FFG) equipped with vertical launch tubes for missiles targeting both land and maritime objectives.

According to an analysis by Joseph Bermudez Jr. and Jennifer Jun from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the FFG measures around 140 meters (459 feet) in length, making it the largest warship ever produced in North Korea.

In comparison, the US Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are roughly 505 feet long, while the Constellation-class frigates currently under construction will measure 496 feet.

The emergence of this warship is not unexpected.

The Kim regime has been swiftly modernizing its military, creating a variety of new weaponry and testing intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching nearly any location in the United States.

This progress has occurred despite United Nations sanctions that impose stringent restrictions on its access to the necessary materials and technology for weapon development.

However, analysts suggest that strengthened ties with Russia since the onset of the Ukraine conflict may be aiding North Korea in circumventing these sanctions.

Retired South Korean admiral Kim Duk-ki believes that Moscow might be supplying technology for the missile systems on the frigate.

Images of the vessel were featured in a report by the state-run Korean Central Television, which was released at the end of last year during the ruling Workers’ Party’s plenary session. The footage depicted leader Kim inspecting the ship’s construction.

The visuals from the KCTV broadcast indicate that the warship may be equipped with advanced weaponry typical of modern navies, including vertical launch systems capable of firing various missiles.

Analysts also observed that the ship appears to be outfitted with phased-array radar, which can detect threats and targets more swiftly and accurately than previously demonstrated North Korean technologies.

Despite these signs of enhanced military capabilities, experts cautioned against jumping to conclusions.

The complexities of constructing warships

According to Carl Schuster, a former US Navy captain and analyst based in Hawaii, nearly any shipbuilder can successfully create the hull and propulsion systems.

“However, modern warships pose a significant challenge in integrating communications, electronics, weaponry, and both electronic and acoustic sensor technologies, which is not easily accomplished,” he noted.

In a March interview with CNN, South Korean lawmaker Kim Byung-kee, who serves on the National Assembly’s Intelligence Committee, raised doubts about whether North Korea possesses the technical expertise or the necessary infrastructure to construct an advanced warship.

“Operating a large military vessel requires a substantial budget. They must not only build the warship but also assemble a crew to operate it, which incurs additional costs for equipment and fuel. Furthermore, a large warship cannot operate independently. Therefore, the question remains: can North Korea bear these expenses?” he stated.

Kim, a retired South Korean admiral, urged caution in underestimating the potential capabilities of the final product, particularly regarding its lethality.

“If North Korea equips the new frigate with the hypersonic ballistic missile it claims to have successfully tested in January, it could significantly alter the regional security landscape,” the former naval officer warned.

Following an analysis of satellite imagery for CNN, Schuster indicated that it may take a year or more before the new North Korean warship is ready for sea trials.

He noted, “The construction of this ship is being hindered by the absence of the superstructure, as well as the sensor and weapon systems that are meant to be installed.”

North Korea’s aged fleet

North Korea’s aging naval fleet consists of approximately 400 patrol combatants and 70 submarines, according to the latest estimates from the US Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) in a 2021 report.

While this number of vessels appears substantial, the majority are outdated and relatively small.

In a January blog post, Joseph Dempsey, an analyst at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, pointed out that Pyongyang possesses only two main surface combatants. These Najin-class frigates, weighing 1,600 tons and dating back to the early 1970s, are considered obsolete.

The DIA report suggested that in any conflict with South Korea or the United States, which both have significantly stronger naval capabilities, the North Korean navy would primarily be relegated to coastal defense.

Despite this, North Korean leader Kim is actively seeking to modernize his naval forces, including the development of submarine-launched missiles and the submarines to deploy them.

In September, Kim conducted an inspection of the location designated for a new naval port.

“With the imminent acquisition of large surface warships and submarines that cannot be accommodated at the current mooring facilities, the establishment of a naval base capable of supporting these advanced vessels has become an urgent priority,” he remarked at that time.

South Korean lawmaker Yu Yong-won noted that the ship being built at the Nampo shipyard is just one instance of Kim’s efforts to modernize the navy.

According to Yu, a nuclear-powered submarine is currently under construction at a shipyard in the North Korean port of Sinpo, and plans for another frigate or destroyer are underway in Chongjin.