The South Korean military has mobilized anti-submarine Wildcat choppers for the first time amid growing concerns over Pyongyang's submarine-launched ballistic missiles.

The Navy said four of the eight AW159 Lynx Wildcats bought last year from British manufacturer AgustaWestland are deployed on Wednesday.

The Navy said it will mobilize two Wildcat helicopters, the two-thousand-500-ton frigate Gwangju, and other military forces in the south of Geoje Island off the southern coast for various marine operations.

Installed on warships, Wildcat choppers carry out operations against submarines and battleships as well as assume marine reconnaissance missions. AgustaWestland’s AW159 Lynx Wildcats can detect enemy submarines that have a maximum speed of 296 kilometers per hour.

Meanwhile, the South Korean military plans to buy 12 more helicopters designed for marine operations with the budget of 900 billion won, or 774-point-five million U.S. dollars, between 2020 and 2022.

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