**해군, SLBM-equipped latest model ‘Anmuhum’ reveals submerged training**
Captain accurately hits enemy submarine after “torpedo launch”
Simultaneous use of fuel cell and diesel engine… Propulsion motor power source
**’Anmuhum’ 3000-ton class, conducting operations near Busan Harbor / Navy video capture**
*Caption: ‘Anmuhum’ 3000-ton class strategic submarine conducting operations near Busan Harbor / Provided by the Navy*
“Enemy SLBM (Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile)-equipped submarine encountered. Full combat deployment!”
On the 11th in waters near Busan, during a surveillance operation after submerging, our Navy’s latest 3000-ton class submarine, ‘Anmuhum,’ detected the underwater noises of an enemy submarine. The enemy submarine was penetrating south of the NLL (Northern Limit Line) without any signal, prompting the Anmuhum captain to issue instructions for combat deployment to all personnel aboard.
On that day, the Navy publicly disclosed the Anmuhum Combat Control Center (CCC) console, which was preparing for a simulated torpedo attack on the enemy submarine during actual submersion. The combat control center was filled with consoles and display screens controlling various equipment inside the submarine. Captain Ahn Geon-yeong, who directed the training, analyzed the enemy submarine information and ordered the launch of a torpedo. The sonar operator pressed the launch button on the console, and the path of the torpedo rushing towards the enemy was displayed on the monitor. A moment later, a situation of communication failure with the torpedo occurred, and a ‘hit’ was confirmed.
*Image: Seaman manipulating the combat system console in the Anmuhum combat control center / Provided by the Navy*
However, the captain did not relax the tension. To confirm the remnants of the enemy vessel that was sunk, the periscope was raised all the way to the surface, and upon checking the surrounding waters through the periscope, the captain shouted, “The surface is clear!” indicating there were no apparent issues in the operational area.
At that moment, another emergency situation arose in the nearby waters. An enemy surface vessel that heard of the enemy’s sinking approached the Anmuhum. The Anmuhum captain ordered an ’emergency submersion.’ Upon receiving the command, the Anmuhum quickly submerged to a depth of over 50 meters. While the enemy vessel was confused, the Anmuhum, which resurfaced with the periscope at depth again, fired a torpedo at the enemy surface vessel. The result was another successful sinking.
*Image: Seaman operating the 3000-ton SLBM submarine ‘Anmuhum’ / Provided by the Navy*
The Anmuhum is a domestically designed and constructed Batch-I Batch-III Class II submarine. The training conducted that day was explained to solidify the military’s readiness posture amidst North Korea’s recent provocations, such as releasing sewage balloons and GPS jamming. A Navy official emphasized that the Anmuhum possesses the highest level of armament and longest submerged capability among diesel-powered submarines worldwide, with most weapon launch capabilities like torpedo guidance missiles automated, enabling a rapid response to enemy provocations.
*Image: Anmuhum sailors preparing to dock in Busan Harbor / Provided by the Navy*
Inside the submarine, one could see some of the advanced equipment used on operational submarines. In the engine room, a large domestic propulsion motor that rotates the screw is installed. This motor moves the massive hull by receiving electricity produced by hydrogen fuel cells or lead-acid batteries generated by a German-made diesel engine running a generator. The snorkel, considered a weakness of diesel submarines, is designed to be used minimally, allowing operations at depths of more than a few tens of meters underwater. The snorkel of a submarine is a device that surfaces to the sea to use the diesel engine of a submerged submarine, sucking in seawater for air and expelling exhaust gases.
With the increased size of the 3000-ton class submarine, there has been a change in the fact that female sailors are also aboard. Currently, four female sailors are serving on the Anmuhum. The submarine has a concept of separating 1st and 2nd floors, where a separate area has been designated for female sailors, with facilities such as bedrooms and washrooms provided. A Navy official explained that there are only 13 countries worldwide where female sailors serve on submarines, and only 7 countries have separate female sailor compartments. Countries with extensive experience in operating large submarines, such as the United States, have separate female sailor areas.
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