According to sight report from warships1.com, a Kidd is loitering at the West Coast, not across the Pacific yet.

Nothing has been determined yet. LPX is a long-term project. There is still many oppurtunity for additional orders. I never imaged we could get the 6 KDX-3 as suggested by the Navy leadership. There have been too many contradicting reports on the activity of the Navy and the government plans, but the reduction and even cancellation of the KDX programs have been discussed before, but its still here, and two ships are undergoing construction as we speak. We’ll see.

While a there is a bit of time before it actually enters service, South Korea will be deploying cold-launch VLS on KDX-2 and KDX-3 ships alongside Mk41s for launching anti-sub missiles and cruise missiles. The advantage being listed is the slight increase in range due to the launch method and less possible wear and stress that comes from rocket exhaust among others.

The design, from what I could tell from the Mk41 arragement on Wang Gun and models of KDX-3, isn’t circular, so that’s not a problem. There are two ways to solve the rocket exhaust failure problem, which is angling the launchers outboards so the projectile would go overboard as it is launched. This is the most simple method, but not very space-efficient. Another is using control rocket motor to simple blow the missile overboard as it is being launched. From what I can tell, KM-SAM (land-based SAM system, also using cold-launch method) and the anti-sub missile uses this technique, suggesting that Korean VLS system is up-upright in their installation.

K-CIWS is a developement of Goalkeeper, a system in service with the KDX destroyers and the LPX, that’s what he’s saying I believe. K-CIWS is aiming for the FFX program, a light-weight littoral frigate to replace all the Dong Hae, Pohang and Ulsan class ships.

Mistral mount in likeness. Uses Russian Igla dual-band seeker for the missile.

Thos new RoKN tubs look really nice, I hope they have named them decently, one of the previous ones could be mistaken for something really rude.

The Kang Keong class? Which one? Kang Keong, Kang Jin, Ko Reong, Kim Po, Ko Chang, Kum Wha, there are six. I think the picture Level supplied us is Yang Yang class. There is three so far. Yang Yang class (Yang Yang, Ong Jin, Hae Nam) may be cut short in order for the navy to pursue mine clearing helicopter program.