Korean People's Army Naval Force (2023)

Current Active Inventory: 186 Fleet Units

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.

Total Units: 186

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

HULL PREFIX:
"KPNS"

ESTABLISHED:
1946
77 yrs ago
as the "Korean People's Navy"

MEDIAN HULL AGE:
49.2
Years

HULL AGE VISUALIZATION

♦

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...

Republic of Korea Navy

Japan Maritime SDF

People's Liberation Army Navy

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