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Sang-O vs Son Won-il

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Specifications
Sang-O Son Won-il
Origin 🇰🇵 North Korea 🇩🇪 Germany
Category Submarine Submarine
Type Coastal submarine Diesel-electric submarine
Manufacturer Bong Dao Bo Shipyard, Sinpo Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft
Year introduced 1991 2007
Number built 41 units 16 units
Estimated unit price NA $330 million
Displacement 275 tons 1,690 tons
Maximum speed 7.5 knots 12.0 knots
Range 1,500 nm 12,000 nm
Length 34.0 m 65.0 m
Beam 3.8 m 6.3 m
Crew 15 27
Max depth 150 m 400 m
Performance Radar Chart
Armament & Systems
Sang-O Son Won-il
Armament
  • 4 × 533 mm torpedo tubes with 53-65KE torpedoes
  • Minelaying capability (up to 16 mines)
  • 8 × 533 mm torpedo tubes
  • 4 Sub-Harpoon missile-capable
Propulsion Diesel-electric, 1 diesel engine, 1 electric motor, 1 shaft Diesel–electric, fuel cell AIP, low-noise skew back propeller; 2 × MTU 16V-396 (3.96 MW) diesel engines; 1 × Siemens Permasyn (2.85 MW) electric motor

Overview

The Sang-O and the Son Won-il are both Submarine classes.

The Son Won-il displaces 1,690 tons — 6.1x the Sang-O's 275 tons. The Sang-O reaches 7.5 knots vs 12 knots for the Son Won-il. Operational range is 1,500 nautical miles for the Sang-O vs 12,000 for the Son Won-il. The Sang-O carries a crew of 15 vs 27 for the Son Won-il. Submerged displacement is 370 tons for the Sang-O vs 1,860 tons for the Son Won-il. The Son Won-il can dive to 400 m compared to 150 m for the Sang-O.

The Sang-O was produced in 41 units vs 16 for the Son Won-il. The Sang-O was commissioned in 1991, 16 years before the Son Won-il (2007).

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which has greater displacement, the Sang-O-class or Son Won-il-class?
The Son Won-il-class has greater displacement at 1,690 tons compared to the Sang-O-class's 275 tons.
Which is faster, the Sang-O-class or Son Won-il-class?
The Son Won-il-class is faster with a maximum speed of 12 knots compared to the Sang-O-class's 7 knots.
Which has longer range, the Sang-O-class or Son Won-il-class?
The Son Won-il-class has a longer range at 12,000 nautical miles compared to the Sang-O-class's 1,500 nautical miles.
Which is longer, the Sang-O-class or Son Won-il-class?
The Son Won-il-class is longer at 65.0 meters compared to the Sang-O-class's 34.0 meters.
How many crew members do the Sang-O-class and Son Won-il-class have?
The Son Won-il-class has a larger crew complement of 27 compared to the Sang-O-class's 15 crew members.
Which can dive deeper, the Sang-O-class or Son Won-il-class?
The Son Won-il-class can dive deeper with a maximum depth of 400 meters compared to the Sang-O-class's 150 meters.
Which has been built in greater numbers, the Sang-O-class or Son Won-il-class?
The Sang-O-class has been built in greater numbers with 41 vessels compared to 16 vessels of the Son Won-il-class.