In the arena of military technology, every slight improvement can mean the difference between being ahead and behind.
RECENTLY, SOUTH KOREA'S DESTROYER "KING JEONGJO" HAS SUCCESSFULLY ATTRACTED GLOBAL ATTENTION WITH ITS NEW 850MM VERTICAL HAIR SYSTEM.
This is not a simple imitation, but a kind of "tribute" to China's 0.55 million tons of drive - or we can say more directly, this is a kind of "plagiarism".
Back then, South Korea's "King Sejong" destroyer dominated the country with 128 vertical hair systems, even surpassing the U.S. Burke-class destroyers and Ticonderoga-class cruisers.
However, the times are advancing, science and technology are developing, and now the destroyer "King Jeongjo" has set its sights on the vertical hair system of China's 055.
I have to say that Koreans still have a very unique vision.
They saw the trend led by China's 0.55 million ton drive, and also recognized the advantages of the large-diameter vertical hair system.
THE VERTICAL HAIR OF 850MM IS NOT JUST A NUMBER, IT REPRESENTS A LARGER MISSILE HOLDING SPACE AND A MORE POWERFUL STRIKE CAPABILITY.
It's like telling the world: the coarseness of missiles is the truth!
Of course, the Koreans did not exactly copy the Chinese design this time, and they also made some innovations.
For example, their new generation of vertical launch unit K-VLS-II, although the launch tube area has been increased by 80%, the number has been reduced because it is also compatible with American-made missiles.
However, this did not affect the overall combat effectiveness of the "King Jeongjo".
On the contrary, this justifies the importance of the diameter of the vertical hair unit for the combat effectiveness of warships.
SO, WHAT MISSILES ARE THE SOUTH KOREANS GOING TO PUT IN THESE 850MM BIG VERTICAL HAIR?
Theoretically, they can develop various missiles on their own, and even reserve an opportunity for hypersonic missiles in the future.
But in reality, they may face the embarrassing situation of "guns without bullets".
Because South Korea currently does not have missiles that match this vertical system.
This has to be reminded of the old saying: the ideal is very plump, and the reality is very skinny.
Nevertheless, the South Koreans remain confident in the future of the destroyer "King Jeongjo".
In their opinion, this destroyer has the potential to become the second largest destroyer in the world in the future.
In addition to the blessing of the new hair hanging system, it is also related to the slow progress of the DDG(X) program in the United States.
According to reports, the development of the DDG (X) in the United States will not begin until after 2028, and manufacturing will not begin until 2032.
This undoubtedly gives the South Koreans a chance to catch up.
In general, the appearance of the South Korean destroyer "King Jeongjo" not only demonstrates the development strength of the South Korean Navy, but also proves from one side that China's 0.55 million ton vertical hair system is forward-looking in design.
In this era of hypersonic missiles, the coarseness of missiles really does represent the truth.
And if the United States wants to catch up with this trend, I am afraid it will need to put in more effort and time.