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Korean People's Army Naval Force (2023)


Current Active Inventory: 186 Fleet Units


North Korea National Flag Graphic


Last Updated: 11/07/2022 | © www.WDMMW.org


The following represents an overview of the modern naval fighting capabilities of the Korean People's Army Naval Force (2023). The service currently counts 186 total units in its active naval inventory. This total includes frontline commissioned vessels but excludes smaller patrol vessels, auxiliary / survey ships, replenishment, and historical ceremonial types. The WDMMW review takes into account specific categories of warships covering attack, defense, and general support designs. Inventory numbers and related unit types are provided as-is and derived from publically-available information / sources. "On Order" totals found at the bottom of this article are related to any future hulls currently under procurement/construction though said hulls may not be delivered for service in the current year for various reasons.


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Total Units: 186
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TvR:
67.9
True Value Rating takes into account current strengths/weaknesses, matched against the highest-rated service (the USN yields a top rating of 323.9).
Global Rank:
14/35
A total of 35 naval services from 35 nations currently tracked. Current Ranking.
FORCE CONCENTRATION:

Carriers: 0 units
Submarines: 19 units
Fleet Core: 167 units
Amphib Asslt: 0 units
FORCE BALANCE:

FAIR

Fleet focuses on a portion of basic requirements though generally lacking in key areas.
SUPPLIERS:
National flag of China National flag of North Korea National flag of the Soviet Union
HULL PREFIX:
"KPNS"
ESTABLISHED:
1946
77 yrs ago
as the "Korean People's Navy"
MEDIAN HULL AGE:
49.2
Years
HULL AGE VISUALIZATION


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Unit Age Color Key




0 to 15 yrs

16 to 25 yrs

26 to 30 yrs

>30 yrs


Age plays a vital role in the life of any warship as hulls and various onboard technologies are pushed to the limit, ultimately exposed to the corrosive and generally unforgiving effects of life at sea. Such degradation often leads to modernizations, refits, or outright retirement. Our color gauge attempts to showcase a vessel's current state within the fleet, helping to detail those outgoing vessels against those at the midway point of their service or those just having been commissioned.




Submarines (19)


Hulls developed for undersea/submersible operation; nuclear-powered or conventionally-powered.

OUTLOOK
STABLE
 
9yrs
August 24 Hero
824
Sinpo-class
32yrs
Sang-O
10 Boats
Sango-class
48yrs
Yono
2 Boats
Yono-class
37yrs
Type 033
6 Boats
Type 033-class

Total Units: 19 (10%)


NOTES: Some numbers estimated due to lack of official reporting; Sinpo-class is an experimental ballistic missile submarine first identified in 2014; Sango-O build in Version I and Version II batch types; Type 033 originating from China and based in the Soviet Romeo-class submarine.




Frigates (2)


Hulls defined as dimensionally smaller than Destroyers, though larger than corvettes, having Blue Water capabilities.

OUTLOOK
STABLE
 
50yrs
Ship 1
- - -
Najin-class
47yrs
Ship 2
- - -
Najin-class

Total Units: 2 (1%)


NOTES: Najin-class light frigates are believed to be based on the Soviet Kola-class frigate.




Corvettes (7)


Hulls defined as dimensionally smaller than frigates but larger than OPVs, capable of operating independently or as part of the main fighting fleet.

OUTLOOK
STABLE
 
48yrs
Amnok
- - -
Amnok-class
10yrs
Nampo 1
- - -
Nampo-class
10yrs
Nampo 2
- - -
Nampo-class
58yrs
Sariwon 1
- - -
Sariwon-class
58yrs
Sariwon 2
- - -
Sariwon-class
56yrs
Sariwon 3
- - -
Sariwon-class
56yrs
Sariwon 4
- - -
Sariwon-class

Total Units: 7 (4%)


NOTES: Amnok-class believed to be a rebuilt Krivak-class corvette; Sariwon-class based in Soviet Fugas/Tral class minesweeper.




Mine Warfare (1)


Hulls outfitted for the purpose of mine countermeasures/countermine warfare.

OUTLOOK
STABLE
 
70yrs
T-2 Tros
- - -
Fugas-class

Total Units: 1 (1%)


NOTES: Sole example most likely held in reserve, can double as a corvette.




Offshore Patrol Vessels (157)


Hulls defined as OPVs and outfitted for the purpose of close-to-shore defense / deterrence.

OUTLOOK
STABLE
 
18yrs
Nongo
6 Boats
Nongo-class
63yrs
Soju
10 Boats
Soju-class
58yrs
Huangfeng
4 Boats
Huangfeng-class
58yrs
Komar
6 Boats
Komar-class
38yrs
Sin Hung/Ku Song
20 Boats
Sin Hung-class
33yrs
Daedong
6 Boats
Daedong-class
53yrs
T PB
10 Boats
T-class
48yrs
Mayang
6 Boats
Mayang-class
43yrs
Taechong
12 Boats
Taechong-class
55yrs
Hainan
6 Boats
Hainan-class
53yrs
Chong-Ju
6 Boats
Chong Ju-class
43yrs
SO-1
10 Boats
SO-1-class
68yrs
Shanghai II
10 Boats
Shanghai II-class
63yrs
Sinpo
9 Boats
Sinpo-class
58yrs
Chongjin
20 Boats
Chongjin-class
57yrs
Chaho
16 Boats
Chaho-class

Total Units: 157 (84%)


NOTES: Some commissioning dates and unit numbers estimated due to lack of official reporting.


Related Naval Powers...


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Republic of Korea Navy
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Japan Maritime SDF
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People's Liberation Army Navy

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