PYONGYANG, Apr 14: North Korea could be constructing what is perhaps the biggest and most advanced warship yet in its arsenal possibly double the size of anything else in the country’s naval fleet, according to latest satellite images.
The images which were taken by independent satellite providers Maxar Technologies and Planet Labs on April 6, show the ship under construction in the water at the Nampo shipyard on North Korea’s west coast, about 60 km (37 miles) southwest of the city of Pyongyang, CNN reported.
The vessel could possibly be a guided missile frigate (FFG) according to analysts. The pictures show ongoing construction of weapons and other internal systems of the ship. According to analysts, the ship is designed to carry missiles in vertical launch tubes for use against targets on land and sea.
“The FFG is approximately 140 meters (459 feet) long, making it the largest warship manufactured in North Korea,” an analysis by Joseph Bermudez Jr. and Jennifer Jun at the Center for Strategic and International Studies said.
The images of the under-construction vessel are the latest example of North Korea’s rapid modernisation of its navy, developing a range of new weapons and testing intercontinental ballistic missiles that can reach almost anywhere in the United States.
Though suffering from economic sanctions from the US, the country has managed to still advance its military technology considerably with the help of Russia and China.
Kim Duk-ki, a retired South Korean admiral, said he thinks Moscow may be providing the technology for the frigate’s missile systems.
According to CNN reports, the pictures of the vessel appeared in a report by state-run Korean Central Television released late last year on the ruling Workers’ Party’s end-of-year plenary session. The images showed leader Kim inspecting the ship’s construction.
The images shown in the KCTV video show the warship could have the kind of weaponry possessed by modern navies today.
Analysts also noted the ship seems to be set up to have phased-array radar, which can track threats and targets more quickly and accurately than previously displayed of North Korean capabilities.
(UNI)
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