Quick Take: Second New Naval Vessel Close to Launch

North Korea is preparing to launch its second new naval destroyer, nearly three weeks after the Choe Hyon Class destroyer was launched at Nampho Shipyard in late April.  Commercial satellite imagery of the Chongjin Shipyard indicates the vessel, appearing to also be a Choe Hyon Class destroyer, began to be moved along the quay from a construction position on May 14, and parked in a launching position on May 15. 

The vessel will likely be side-launched from the quay, a method not previously observed in North Korea. Two barges and support vessels are stationed nearby, presumably to guide the ship once launched and protect it from rebounding into the quay once hitting the water. North Korea routinely uses gravitational and floating methods to launch vessels. With a gravitational launch, vessels are launched on an incline, stern first. The recent launch at Nampho Shipyard utilized a floating drydock. 

The use of this launch method could be one of necessity, as the quay where the ship is being built does not have an incline.

Kim Jong Un visited the Chongjin Shipyard in early March to check on construction of this vessel. It had been draped in camouflage netting at that time, making a detailed analysis difficult. However, high-resolution imagery from May 15 shows the netting has been removed in preparation for launch, exposing more of the ship’s detail. The forward gun has not been installed, and the forward and aft missile tube magazines are exposed. The hatch remains uncovered. This is likely deliberate to maintain the lowest possible center of gravity for the ship during the launch. 

In late 2024, Kim Jong Un signaled that his country’s navy would soon be getting new submarines and surface vessels. The launch of the new destroyer at Chongjin will be a further step in the country’s naval expansion.