US State Department approves potential sale of latest Phalanx CIWS version for RoKN’s first KDX III Batch II destroyer
The US Department of State
has approved a potential USD39 million Foreign Military Sale (FMS) of two MK 15 MOD 25 Phalanx close-in weapon systems (CIWSs)
for fitment onto the first of a second batch of three Sejong Daewang (KDX III)-class guided-missile destroyers for the Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN).
The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced on 1 December that
the South Korean government had requested to buy two Phalanx Block 1B Baseline 2 (IB2) systems along with 4,000 20 mm armour-piercing incendiary (API) rounds.
Also included in the proposed deal,
which still needs to be approved by the US Congress, are spare parts, other support equipment, ammunition, books and other publications, software, training, engineering technical assistance and other technical assistance, and other related elements of programme and logistical support.
The agency
said the potential sale is aimed at improving South Korea’s capability to “meet current and future threats”,
adding that the first KDX III (also spelled KDX 3) Batch II destroyer will use these systems “to provide it with effective means of detecting and defending itself against incoming airborne threats”.