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S. Korea moving ahead to introduce Viking anti-submarine planes into service – The Korea Observer

SEOUL, Sept. 6 (Yonhap) — South Korea is moving ahead to introduce refurbished S-3 Viking anti-submarine warfare (ASW) planes to counter threats from North Korea, a military source said Sunday.The defense ministry insider said the proposal to incorporate 12 former U.S. Navy Vikings into service was approved late last month by a military program review…

SEOUL, Sept. 6 (Yonhap) — South Korea is moving ahead to introduce refurbished S-3 Viking anti-submarine warfare (ASW) planes to counter threats from North Korea, a military source said Sunday.The defense ministry insider said the proposal to incorporate 12 former U.S. Navy Vikings into service was approved late last month by a military program review group. The latest development comes after the Navy proposed taking over 20 Vikings that have been kept in storage since 2009 to shore up the country’s detection and attack capabilities against Pyongyang’s submarine fleet.

Source: S. Korea moving ahead to introduce Viking anti-submarine planes into service – The Korea Observer

This story of ROK buying mothballed S-3’s has been around a couple years now. It looks like Korea might finally be making some progress toward it.

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  1. cwej@msn.com

    The S-3 is a highly capable ASW aircraft when it’s allowed to be used to its capabilities by well trained and aggressive aircrew. The platform was hobbled in that role when deployed on board USN aircraft carriers for a variety of reasons. First, the effects of the carrier deck cycle turns ASW, inherently a game of patience, into a game of attention deficit disorder (“you can play ASW for exactly 1 hours, then buster your asses back to martial”). S-3’s also were low mission priority over other carrier and TACAIR missions (“stop what you’re doing on that pattern and go ID Track 711”). The real killer was that CO’s, OPSOs, and AIRBOSS generally thought of ASW is a waste of time, except during exercises and work-up, then still lower priority over all other missions, including COD. Plus, S-3’s were great at tanking TACAIR, so that’s what the ship and AIRWING valued them for, above all. Carrier ASW beyond PG in Starboard Delta will only work when CVS’ are brought back (meaning…never).

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