Gwanggaeto the Great starts as a practical ASW destroyer

The Gwanggaeto the Great class is a capable first indigenous destroyer with a practical anti-submarine role. Sea Sparrow, sixteen Harpoon missiles, a 5-inch gun, Goalkeeper close-in weapons, torpedoes, and Super Lynx helicopters give it a useful general-purpose fit as well. Raytheon and Signaal radars, a BAE combat system, and nuclear, biological, and chemical protection support its claim to be a destroyer rather than a lightly armed large frigate. The lead ship entered service in July 1998 and remained useful after upgrades, approaching twenty-eight years in service when this video was recorded in May 2026. The Super Lynx helicopters are its primary submarine-hunting weapons. They can also engage missile boats and other littoral threats, including acting as gunships with missile pods, which makes them broader all-rounders than the more specialised Seahawk or Merlin configurations discussed here. That versatility suits ships expected to move between coastal and oceanic operations.