SEOUL, Aug. 14 (Yonhap) -- The arms procurement agency said Friday it delivered the first vessel of the upgraded fast attack patrol ship program to the Navy, aiming to enhance naval combat capabilities defending the western maritime border with North Korea.

The lead vessel of the Geomdoksuri-B class Patrol Killer Medium Rocket (PKMR) Batch-II was handed over to the Navy during a ceremony held at a shipyard in the southeastern port city of Busan, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said. Geomdoksuri means golden eagle in Korean.

The Geomdoksuri-B class patrol ships are designed to replace the Chamsuri-class patrol vessels. DAPA launched the program in 2022 and has been conducting test runs since last year.

The upgraded patrol ship is fitted with enhanced combat systems, including the 130-milimeter guided rocket system and the 12.7-mm remote controlled weapon station. It is also equipped with an upgraded anti-jamming system designed to boost electronic warfare capabilities, DAPA said.

The lead Geomdoksuri vessel will undergo procedures for operational service before being deployed near the Northern Limit Line (NLL), the de facto maritime border with North Korea in the Yellow Sea, to safeguard South Korea's territorial waters, the agency said.

Three follow-on vessels will be delivered in phases by the end of this year, it added.

elly@yna.co.kr

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