ROK Navy’s Junior Officers and NCOs Demonstrate Combat Readiness in Fleet Command Competition

Junior officers and noncommissioned officers (NCOs) of the Republic of Korea Navy showcased their refined operational capabilities at the 2025 Fleet Command Combat Proficiency Competition.

Held from May 19 to 30, the competition featured 184 selected junior officers and NCOs and four boarding inspection teams, chosen through preliminary rounds across each fleet, Jinhae Base Command, and directly subordinate squadrons.

Junior officers were evaluated in four categories: tactical maneuvering, radio communication, aircraft control, and anti-submarine warfare. NCOs were tested in both theory and practice across categories aligned with their specialties, including combat information, sonar operations, fire control, and electronic warfare. They demonstrated real-world mission execution capabilities tailored to their military expertise, including maritime environments, anti-submarine warfare (ASW) tactics, tactical maneuvering, and naval gun and combat systems.

In the boarding inspection segment, representative teams from the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Fleets and the Mobile Fleet approached suspicious vessels using rigid inflatable boats (RIBs). They performed live boarding and suppression drills to evaluate their field response capabilities.

The 8th Combat Training Squadron (8th CTS) formed an evaluation team of 42 personnel, including the commander of the Combined Tactical Training Battalion, to assess operational understanding and mission execution across six categories: junior officer, combat information, sonar, fire control, electronic warfare, and boarding inspection teams. Based on a comprehensive assessment of theoretical and practical scores, the top performers in each field will be announced during the first week of June.

Lieutenant Colonel Choi Jong Soon of the 8th CTS, who led the evaluation process, stated that he could sense the determination and effort of the participants, who had rigorously prepared for the competition. He expressed hope that participants would use the experience to assess and strengthen their practical combat capabilities.

Captain Lee Han Gyeol from ROKS Chungmugong Yi Sun Shin, who took part in the boarding inspection category, commented that preparing for the competition helped cultivate both teamwork and individual combat proficiency. He pledged to maintain a strong combat mindset and skills, striving to build a powerful navy that always prevails in battle.