Chamsuri-class patrol boat

Chamsuri-class patrol vessel of the Republic of Korea Navy
Class overview
Name	Chamsuri class
Builders	Korea Tacoma Hanjin Heavy Industries
Operators	Republic of Korea Navy  Bangladesh Navy  Ghana Navy  Kazakh Naval Forces  Philippine Navy Timor Leste Defence Force
Preceded by	Asheville class
Succeeded by	Gumdoksuri class
Subclasses	PKM 201 class PKM 301 class
Built	1970s–1980s
Completed	101
Active	52
Lost	3
Retired	49
Preserved	1
General characteristics as built (PKM 301 class)
Type	Patrol vessel
Displacement	113 t (111 long tons) light 156 t (154 long tons) full load
Length	33.10 m (108 ft 7 in)
Beam	6.92 m (22 ft 8 in)
Draft	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Propulsion	2 × MTU 16V 538 TB90 diesel engines
Speed	38 knots (70 km/h; 44 mph) max
Range	1,000 nmi (1,900 km; 1,200 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement	31
Sensors and processing systems	Raytheon 1645 surface search radar
Armament	1 × 40 mm (1.6 in) gun 2 × single Sea Vulcan 20 mm (0.79 in) Gatling guns 2 × single 12.7 mm (0.50 in) M2 Browning machine guns

The Chamsuri class (Korean: 참수리급 고속정) (also known as the "Sea Dolphin" and "Wildcat" types)^[1] are patrol boats originally constructed for and operated by the Republic of Korea Navy. They first entered service in 1979, and they have since seen service with five other navies, of which the Philippine Navy is currently the largest import user. These boats were built by the Korea Tacoma, and Korea SB & Eng. Masan shipyards. In Korea, the Chamsuri-class boats are being retired and replaced by Gumdoksuri-class patrol vessels.

The Chamsuri class were designed in the 1970s as the basis for South Korea's coastal defense against North Korean amphibious incursions.^[2] The Chamsuri class comes in two designs with differing armament. The PKM 201 subclass ("PKM" stands for "patrol killer medium") mounted lighter armament than the PKM 301 subclass. The subclasses were also known as the "Sea Dolphin" and "Wildcat" types respectively.^[1] The ships measure 33.10 meters (108 ft 7 in) long overall and 31.25 m (102 ft 6 in) at the waterline with a beam of 6.92 m (22 ft 8 in) and a draft of 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) and 2.45 m (8 ft 0 in) at the propellers. The Chamsuris have a light displacement of 113 tonnes (111 long tons) and 156 t (154 long tons) at full load. The ships have a complement of 31 including 5 officers.^[3]

The patrol boats are powered by two MTU 16V MD538 TU90 diesel engines turning two propellers creating 10,800 brake horsepower (8,100 kW) or 9,000 bhp (6,700 kW) sustained. The ships have two 50 kW diesel generator sets for electricity production.^[4] The Chamsuris were designed for a maximum speed of 38 knots (70 km/h; 44 mph) but can sustain a speed of 32 knots (59 km/h; 37 mph).^[5] The ships have a range of 500 nautical miles (930 km; 580 mi) at 32 knots or 1,000 nmi (1,900 km; 1,200 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph). The patrol boats carry 15 tonnes (15 long tons; 17 short tons) of fuel.^[3]

In Korean service, the early PKM 201 series ships were armed with a single Bofors 40-millimeter (1.6 in)/L60 Mk3 gun, a pair of 30 mm (1.2 in)/75 Emerlac anti-aircraft (AA) EX 30 guns situated in a single mount and two single-mounted Oerlikon 20mm L/70 Mk10 AA guns.^[3][5] Later PKM 201-class vessels mounted the twin 30 mm/75 Emerlac EX 30 guns and one or two single-mounted Sea Vulcan 20 mm (0.79 in) Gatling guns and two single-mounted 12.7 mm (0.50 in) M2 Browning machine guns.^[3] The PKM 301 subclass were equipped with the Bofors 40 mm/L60 gun, the two single-mounted Sea Vulcans and the single-mounted 12.7 mm machine guns.^[3][a]

On the PKM 301 class, the ships' had their 40 mm mount enclosed and situated on the forecastle and one Vulcan mount atop the superstructure and the other located on the fantail. The enclosures were Mauser glass-reinforced plastic shields. Ships of the PKM 201 series had their power-operated twin 30 mm mount located on the forecastle and some of the older units had their 40 mm mount situated on the fantail. The vessels were equipped with Raytheon 1645 navigational/surface search radar.^[3]

54 vessels of the "Sea Dolphin" type and 47 vessels of the "Wildcat" type were constructed for the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN). They were constructed at the shipyards Korea SB (later known as Hanjin Heavy Industries and HJ Shipbuilding) and Korea Tacoma.^[8] The first entered service in 1971–1972.^[1] By 2013, there were only 74 craft in service with the ROKN.^[3] In 2002, a Chamsuri-class patrol boat, PKM 357 was sunk during the Battle of Yeongpyeong versus North Korean forces.^[9] A reproduction of the vessel was created and turned into a museum ship.^[10] The Chamsuris are being replaced in Korean service by the Yoon Youngha class (also known as the PKG class or Gumdoksuri class).^[3]

The designers of the class, Daewoo, initially offered an export version, called the Dangpo class, but there were no buyers. The design called for a ship 150 t (150 long tons) at full load with a length overall of 37 m (121 ft 5 in), capable of making 37 knots (69 km/h; 43 mph) with a range of 600 nmi (1,100 km; 690 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph).^[3]

The Bangladesh Navy operated four Chamsuris.^[11] The first two (P1011 and P1012) were acquired in April 2000 and formally transferred from South Korea on 27 May 2000.^[12][13] The second pair (P1013 and P1014) entered service on 3 October 2004.^[13] All four are "Sea Dolphin"/PKM 201 type. They were transferred to the Bangladesh Coast Guard for service.^[12]

A Chamsuri-class ship was one of three patrol vessels transferred by South Korea to the Naval Component of East Timor's F-FDTL in September 2011,^[14] on the basis of a transfer agreement signed in Seoul the previous month.^[15] The vessel, re-christened Kamenassa, was of the "Sea Dolphin"/PKM 201 type.^[16]

One vessel was transferred in 2011.^[4]

Kazakhstan announced the transfer of three Chamsuri-class vessels in April 2005. The three ships were received on 27 March 2006.^[18] They were purchased for a token amount of $100 per ship.^[19] As part of the agreement, all armament was removed along with the identification friend or foe system.^[18]

At least eight Chamsuris were transferred to the Philippines. The first five, PKM 225, PKM 226, PKM 229, PKM 231, and PKM 235, were transferred in 1995. Four were commissioned the following year, with one (ex-PKM 235) cannibalized for spare parts. Another unit was transferred in 1998.^[20] An additional two ships, PKM 223 and PKM 232,^[21] were acquired in 2006.^[22][23]

Chamsuris in Philippine Navy service are collectively referred to as the Tomas Batilo class, named after Filipino officers and soldiers who served with distinction during the Korean War.^[23] As of 1 March 2021, all ships of the class have been withdrawn from active service in the Philippine Navy.

• Bowers, Ian (2019). The Modernisation of the Republic of Korea Navy: Seapower, Strategy and Politics. Critical Studies of the Asia-Pacific. Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 978-3-319-92290-4.
• Couhat, Jean Labayle, ed. (1986). Combat Fleets of the World 1986/87. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-85368-860-5.
• Gardiner, Robert; Chumbley, Stephen & Budzbon, Przemysław, eds. (1995). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-132-7.
• Prézelin, Bernard, ed. (1990). The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World 1990/1991: Their Ships, Aircraft and Armament. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-250-8.
• Saunders, Stephen, ed. (2009). Jane's Fighting Ships 2009–2010 (112 ed.). Alexandria, Virginia: Jane's Information Group Inc. ISBN 978-0-7106-2888-6.
• Wertheim, Eric, ed. (2013). The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World (16th ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 9-7-815911-4954-5.}

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chamsuri class patrol boat.

• Chamsuri Patrol Vessel image (description in Korean)
• Republic of Korea's Navy: Western Sea Engagement