North Korea appears to be constructing the largest warship in its history, according to satellite imagery analyzed by experts and reported by CNN.
The vessel—measuring approximately 459 feet in length—is twice the size of any other ship in the country’s fleet and is believed to be a guided-missile frigate (FFG) under construction at the Nampo shipyard.
Images captured on April 6 by Maxar Technologies and Planet Labs show the frigate in the water at the Nampo shipyard on North Korea’s west coast, about 37 miles southwest of Pyongyang. Analysts say construction of weapons and internal systems is actively ongoing. The warship is expected to be equipped with vertical missile launch tubes capable of striking both land and sea targets.
“The FFG is approximately 140 meters (459 feet) long, making it the largest warship manufactured in North Korea,” wrote Joseph Bermudez Jr. and Jennifer Jun of the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
While the ship’s scale and design are notable, its existence is not unexpected. North Korea has been aggressively modernizing its military, testing intercontinental ballistic missiles and unveiling new weapon systems despite United Nations sanctions limiting its access to necessary materials and technology.
Analysts speculate that Pyongyang’s growing relationship with Moscow, particularly since the onset of the war in Ukraine, may be helping the regime sidestep sanctions. Kim Duk-ki, a retired South Korean admiral, believes Russia may be providing technology for the frigate’s missile systems.
The ship was first publicly seen in footage released by state-run Korean Central Television late last year, showing North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspecting the vessel during the Workers’ Party end-of-year plenary session. The video suggested the frigate could be equipped with vertical launch cells and phased-array radar, technologies common in modern naval forces.
Despite the ship’s imposing frame and indications of sophisticated weaponry, military experts caution against assuming operational readiness.
“Almost any shipbuilder can get the hull and propulsion systems right,” said Carl Schuster, a former US Navy captain and Hawaii-based analyst. “However, modern warships represent an integration challenge of communications, electronics, weapons, and both electronic and acoustic sensor technologies” that is not so easily achieved.
South Korean lawmaker Kim Byung-kee also expressed skepticism. In a March interview with CNN, the Intelligence Committee member questioned whether North Korea possesses the technical know-how or infrastructure to build and maintain such a ship.
“Operating such a big military warship takes significant amount of budget. They not only have to build a warship, but make a team that would operate it, and it costs to operate it including the equipment and fuel. Also, one huge warship cannot go out on its own. So the question is, can North Korea afford the cost?” Kim said.
Still, Kim Duk-ki urged caution in underestimating the warship’s potential.
“If North Korea equips the new frigate with the hypersonic ballistic missile it claimed to have successfully tested in January, that will cause a game changing impact in the regional security,” he said.
Schuster, after reviewing the satellite images, estimated that the warship remains at least a year away from beginning sea trials.
“This ship’s construction is being delayed by the lack of the superstructure, sensor and weapons systems intended for installation,” he noted.
The vessel, once completed, could represent a major leap forward in North Korea’s naval power—if it proves to be as capable as its size and design suggest.
Originally published on HNGN
