South Korean Navy Conducts First Fleet-Level Maritime Maneuver Exercise Since Establishment of Mobile Fleet Command

The South Korean Navy’s Mobile Fleet Command conducted a maritime exercise from Tuesday to Thursday in the West and South Seas to strengthen combat readiness. This is the first fleet-level joint exercise involving Aegis destroyers and other key naval assets since the command was established on February 1.

Participating in the exercise were nine warships, one submarine, and 13 aircraft, including Sejong the Great (DDG-I, 7,600-ton Aegis destroyer), Dae Jo Yeong (DDH-II, 4,400-ton destroyer), Cheonji (AOE-I, 4,200-ton combat support ship), Jeonbuk and Gwangju (FFG-I, 2,500-ton frigates) from the 3rd Fleet, and Park Dong Jin (PKG, 450-ton guided missile patrol vessel).

Over the three-day exercise, participating forces conducted live-fire drills, anti-submarine warfare training, SM-2 surface-to-air missile engagement control drills, and ship damage control exercises, ensuring operational readiness against enemy provocations in maritime, underwater, and aerial domains.

During the exercise, Sejong the Great also strengthened its sea-based Korean Three-Axis System capabilities by conducting ballistic missile detection and tracking drills to counter North Korean nuclear and missile threats. Captain Cho Beom Sang, commander of Sejong the Great, stated, “Through this first fleet-level maneuver exercise since the establishment of the Mobile Fleet Command, we have established a decisive combat posture and mental readiness to ensure victory in operations. Through realistic training, we will be fully prepared to deliver a strong retaliatory strike and defeat any enemy provocation at sea.”