K745 Blue Shark Explained

K745 Blue Shark K745 청상어 경어뢰
Origin:	South Korea
Type:	Lightweight ASW torpedo
Is Missile:	yes
Used By:	See Operators
Designer:	Agency for Defense Development
Design Date:	1995
Manufacturer:	LIG Nex1
Production Date:	2005-
Weight:	280 kg
Length:	2.7 m
Width:	0.32 m
Vehicle Range:	19 km
Speed:	45+ knots (83+ km/h)
Guidance:	Acoustic
Launch Platform:	Vessel / aircraft / helicopter

The K745 Blue Shark is a lightweight anti-submarine torpedo developed for the Republic of Korea Navy in 2004.^[1]

Development

The Blue Shark torpedo can be deployed from surface ships, ASW helicopters and maritime patrol aircraft. Production cost for each torpedo is at about ₩ 1,000,000,000.^[2]

Blue Shark torpedoes are fitted to the Incheon class frigate (FFX).^[3] It is exported to the Philippines as part of the acquisition process for the Jose Rizal-class Frigates.^[4]

Variants

An improved variant, the lightweight torpedo-2 is being developed by LIG Nex1. New capabilities include longer range and lesser vulnerability to decoys.^[5] The research and development program is expected to be complete in 2029.^[6]

Operators

• Philippines: Philippine Navy^[7]
• : Republic of Korea Navy

See also

• K731 White Shark
• K745A1 Red Shark
• K761 Tiger Shark

Weapons of comparable role, performance and era

• APR-3E torpedo - Russian equivalent
• Mark 54 Lightweight Torpedo - US Navy's equivalent
• A244-S - Italian equivalent
• MU90 Impact - French/Italian equivalent
• Sting Ray (torpedo) - British equivalent
• TAL Shyena - Indian equivalent
• Yu-7 torpedo - Chinese equivalent
• Type 97 light weight torpedo (G-RX4) - Japanese equivalent

Notes and References

1. Web site: 1 February 2017 . S.Korea deploys 4 "submarine killer" helicopters against N.Korea - NK News - North Korea News . live . https://archive.today/20240311132000/https://www.nknews.org/2017/02/s-korea-deploys-4-submarine-killer-helicopters-against-n-korea/ . 11 March 2024 . 11 March 2024 . NK News .
2. Web site: With one wrong swipe, South Korea loses $5M worth of weapons. 5 January 2017.
3. Web site: Incheon Class Frigates / Future Frigate Experimental (FFX), South Korea. . 2017-05-10 . 2017-07-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170724094406/http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/incheon-class-ffx-frigates-south-korea/incheon-class-ffx-frigates-south-korea4.html . dead .
4. Web site: Manila selects torpedo, countermeasures suppliers for PN's José Rizal-class frigates . 2023-05-09 . Janes.com . en.
5. Web site: Lee . Daehan . 5 April 2022 . S.Korea Selects LIG Nex1 To Improve Blue Shark Torpedo . live . https://archive.today/20240311133144/https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2022/04/s-korea-selects-lig-nex1-to-improve-blue-shark-torpedo/ . 11 March 2024 . 11 March 2024 . Naval News.
6. Web site: 5 April 2022 . LIG Nex1 to develop next-generation variant of Blue Shark torpedo . live . https://archive.today/20240311132709/https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/lig-nex1-to-develop-next-generation-variant-of-blue-shark-torpedo . 11 March 2024 . 11 March 2024 . Janes.
7. Web site: Nepomuceno . Priam . 18 September 2020 . Anti-sub helicopters' torpedoes, missiles now in PH: Navy chief . 31 May 2023 . Philippine News Agency.