South Korea’s Dosan Ahn Changho-class Submarine Embarks on Historic Pacific Voyage

The Republic of Korea Navy’s (ROKN) Dosan Ahn Changho-class submarine, Dosan Ahn Changho (SS-083), has commenced a landmark voyage across the Pacific Ocean, marking a significant milestone in the nation’s naval capabilities and defense industry cooperation. Departing Jinhae Naval Base on March 25, 2026, the submarine is undertaking a 14,000 km (approximately 7,700 nautical miles) journey to Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

A New Generation of Submarines

The Dosan Ahn Changho-class submarines represent the final phase of the Korean Attack Submarine program, a three-phased initiative to build 27 attack submarines for the ROKN between 1994 and 2029 [1]. These next-generation diesel-electric attack submarines are designed and built with indigenous South Korean technology, signifying a major advancement in the country’s defense industry [3]. The class is similarly known as the KSS-III (Jangbogo-III) class.

Key Features and Specifications

The Dosan Ahn Changho-class submarines are the largest submarines built in Korea to date. Batch-I submarines, like the Dosan Ahn Changho, have a surfaced displacement of 3,358 tons and a submerged displacement of 3,750 tons, with a length of 83.5 meters [1]. Batch-II submarines will have increased dimensions, with a length of 89 meters [1]. Key features include:

• Propulsion: Diesel-electric propulsion combined with Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP) utilizing Bumhan Industries PH1 PEM fuel cells [1].
• Speed: A maximum submerged speed of 20 knots (37 km/h) [1].
• Range: A range of 10,000 nautical miles (18,500 km) [1].
• Crew: A complement of 50 personnel [1].

Voyage to Canada and RIMPAC Participation

The current voyage to Victoria, Canada, represents the longest recorded distance traveled by a South Korean submarine [2]. During the visit, a “joining ceremony” will be held, symbolically mixing seawater from Jinhae Naval Port with Canadian seawater to commemorate the naval cooperation between the two countries. Two Canadian Navy personnel will also join the vessel for a portion of the journey to facilitate technology sharing and partnership building [2].

Following the Canadian visit, the Dosan Ahn Changho is scheduled to participate in Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise, a multinational maritime exercise hosted by the United States, in Hawaii later in June before returning to South Korea [2].

Strengthening International Defense Cooperation

This deployment underscores South Korea’s commitment to strengthening defense industry cooperation with key allies, including Canada and the United Kingdom. Lee Yong-cheol, head of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, highlighted the voyage as a milestone in expanding these partnerships and showcasing the capabilities of the Korean defense industry [2].

Captain Lee Byeong-il, commander of the Dosan Ahn Changho, expressed the crew’s determination to demonstrate the submarine’s performance and contribute to maritime security as “silent guardians of the ocean” [2].