In early May, the fourth KDX-II-class destroyer, Wang Geon, was launched at Hyundai Heavy Industries Shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea. The warship is the fourth of a six-ship class. The first of the class, Choong Moo Gong Lee Soon Shin (pictured right) entered service in 2003. The last of the class is scheduled to enter service by 2008. In addition to the 5,000-ton (full load) KDX-II-class of warships, the South Korean Navy also operates three KDX-I-class destroyers, which entered service between 1998 and 2000. The newest and most capable KDX warships will be the three KDX-III guided missile destroyers, due to enter service between 2008 and 2012. These warships will have a full load displacement of roughly 7,000 tons (twice that of the KDX-I-class) and will be equipped with the Lockheed-Martin SPY-1 series Aegis combat system.
Tunisia recently acquired two aging, though still capable, Type 143-class guided missile patrol craft from Germany. The 36-knot, 400-ton (full load), Type 143s have served Germany well throughout nearly three decades. Four additional Type 143s are to be transferred to Tunisia by year's end. The ex-German Sperber, renamed Hamilcar, was transferred in July together with sister Greif, renamed Hannon. By the end of September, two additional German Type 143 craft, Geier and Seeadler, will have also been transferred to Tunisia and renamed Hamilcon and Hannibal respectively. Once those transfers are complete, sisters Habicht and Kormoran will be transferred by December and renamed Hasdrubal and Giscon. The four Type 143 guided missile craft remaining in German inventory are expected to retire in the near future.
French power projection capabilities will increase significantly over the next year as two new amphibious assault ships are introduced into service in the form of the Mistral-class helicopter carrying landing ships. The namesake of the class, Mistral, was built by DCN at Brest and launched on 6 October 2004. The second and final unit of the class, Tonnerre, is expected to enter service in 2006. These two amphibious ships will supplement the two 12,000-ton (full load) Foudre-class dock landing ships and replace the aging French amphibious ships Ouragan and Orage, which have served for nearly 40 years. Once fully operational, the Mistral-class, will displace 21,500 tons (full load) and carry a mix of French Army Cougar and Navy NH-90 helicopters along with up to 900 troops for short voyages, though 450 troops will be a more typical load. Crew size is relatively small, consisting of only 160 sailors and officers.
Combat Fleets
By Eric Wertheim, Editor, <i>Combat Fleets of the World</i>