The warship's profile sees a single deck gun at the forecastle with an imbedded bank of missiles ahead of the bridge superstructure. Atop the superstructure is the communications and sensors system with some of the installations set about a lattice-style main mast. Aft of the main superstructure is a split "Y-style" smoke funnel exhausting the propulsion scheme. Aft of this is the secondary superstructure (containing the hangar) and helipad.
Conventional armament is 1 x 5" /54 caliber 127mm OTO-Melara deck gun (turreted) and 2 x Signaal "Goalkeeper" 30mm Close-In Weapon Systems (CIWSs). The missile focus of the warship is apparent as the Mk 48 Mod 2 Vertical Launch System (VLS) ahead of the bridge houses 16 x RIM-7P "Sea Sparrow" surface-to-air missiles. Beyond this are a pair of quadruple launchers for the Harpoon anti-ship missile. The warship is also outfitted with 2 x 324mm (12.8") triple torpedo tubes to deal with surface and undersea threats (Mark 46 torpedo support).
The AN/SPS-49(V) 2D air-search radar heads the list of advanced processing systems that give the vessel vision beyond the horizon. This is in addition to the Signaal MV08 surface-search and Daewoo SPS-95K navigation radar fits. Signaal also provides its STIR 180 series Fire Control System (FCS) radars. The SLQ-25 "Nixie" system is a towed decoy for incoming torpedoes and the ATLAS DSQS-21BZ forms the hull-mounted sonar system. 4 x CSEE DAGAIE MK 2 is an installed chaff launcher. All this works in conjunction with the armament systems aboard the ship as well as the helicopters which provide even greater coverage for the warship.
ROKS Gwanggaeto the Great was launched on October 28th, 1996 and formally commissioned on July 24th, 1998. She remains in active service alongside her two sisters (2017).
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