North Korea appears to be constructing a new guided missile frigate (FFG) that could measure up to 140 meters in length—potentially the largest warship the country has ever built—according to satellite imagery analyzed by a U.S. think tank.
Beyond Parallel, a North Korea-focused project under the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), on Apr. 8 published satellite photos of what it identified as a new guided missile frigate being built at the Nampo Shipyard on the country’s west coast. The images were taken on Apr. 6.
A guided missile frigate, commonly referred to as an FFG, is a type of frigate equipped with guided missiles, enabling it to carry out multi-role missions such as anti-air, anti-ship and anti-submarine warfare. Naval vessels typically go through outfitting after launching, during which internal structures are completed, equipment is installed and supplies are loaded before delivery to the navy.
The vessel captured in the satellite imagery is currently undergoing outfitting while moored in a 120-meter floating drydock. However, the ship’s hull is covered with camouflage netting, making it difficult to discern its exact features.
The floating drydock is located next to a recently refurbished outfitting dock and is flanked by two tower cranes and an orderly array of parts.
“The camouflage netting makes precise measurements difficult, but the FFG appears to be approximately 140 meters long, making it the largest domestically constructed warship in North Korea,” the report said. “Considering the length and structure of its superstructure, the vessel may be the same one that State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un inspected in early March,” it added.
The report also noted that while North Korea notified the International Maritime Organization in 2023 that it was building two helicopter-capable frigates, it remains unclear whether the new ship is one of those two.
If it turns out to be capable of operating helicopters, it would mark only the second such case for the North Korean Navy, the report said.
The report was authored by CSIS Senior Fellow Joseph Bermudez and Associate Fellow Jennifer Jun.
