Promising projects and the future of the South Korean Navy
UDC type "Dokdo" - at the moment the largest ship of the South Korean Navy. Photo by the US Department of Defense
The Republic of Korea has quite numerous and quite modern naval forces. The country's maritime borders are guarded by dozens of pennants - non-nuclear submarines of several projects, as well as surface ships of all major classes, with the exception of aircraft carriers. Seoul plans to continue the development of the Navy, for which it is currently building ships according to several current projects, and is also making ambitious plans for the future.
Actual tasks
Currently, the industry of South Korea, represented by several large shipyards, is building ships of a number of types according to existing projects. The current work schedule is scheduled for several years ahead and provides for the construction of buildings of all main classes.
Thus, the execution of orders for the construction of diesel-electric submarines of the Dosan An Changho or KSS-III type continues. The lead ship of this type entered the Navy in 2021, and a few weeks ago, in April 2023, the fleet accepted the second one. The third submarine is being prepared for testing. Delivery is scheduled for next year. In addition, on March 30 this year, the next order was laid, which will be completed by 2026.
Model of a KSS-III type submarine. Photo by Wikimedia Commons
The construction of the destroyers King Sejong the Great / KDX-III is on schedule. Last year, the first ship of the second series of this project was laid down. It should be commissioned by the end of 2024. In April 2023, the construction of the lead frigate of the new Chungnam project began. Work on the Taegu frigates is also ongoing. Another ship of this type was launched in March and is now being completed and is also being prepared for testing. Two more buildings of the same type are on the stocks.
At the same time, a significant number of ships and boats of other classes are being built. As a result, over the next few years, the South Korean Navy will receive patrol boats, landing hovercraft, minesweepers, etc. different types. At the same time, unlike ships of the main classes, these pennants will be more numerous.
Carrier prospects
As part of fleet there are two universal landing ships "Dokdo" capable of carrying Aviation, boats and amphibious equipment. In 2019, a decision was made to build a third UDC under the working designation LPH-II. By increasing the size and displacement, they planned to increase the landing force and the aviation group in comparison with previous ships. However, these plans were later revised.
In 2020-21 passed the preliminary theoretical part of the LPH-II program, as a result of which the Navy decided to abandon the UDC and build a full-fledged light aircraft carrier. At the beginning of 2021, the program was restarted under the new CVX index. Two leading shipbuilding organizations, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) and Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), were involved in the development of projects on a competitive basis.
The initial appearance of the promising UDC LPX-II / LPH-II. Graphics of the Ministry of Defense of South Korea
Already in 2021, the participating organizations presented their vision of the new CVX spacecraft. The proposed aircraft carriers generally met the basic requirements of the customer, but differed from each other. In addition, the developers allowed themselves to go beyond the terms of reference. The Navy documents indicate a displacement of up to 30 thousand tons, while in the DSME and HHI projects this parameter reached the level of 45 and 60 thousand tons, respectively.
The CVX program is still at the stage of developing preliminary projects, which will then be compared and the most successful one will be selected. At the same time, the work encountered some difficulties. So, already in 2022, the program budget was reduced several times, which could complicate or even stop development. In addition, the President of the Republic, elected in May 2022, and his administration are not particularly enthusiastic about the aircraft carrier.
According to initial plans for 2021, the current phase of the CVX program will end in 2022-23. choosing the most successful project. Then some time will be spent on the development of technical documentation, and in the middle of the decade, the laying of the lead aircraft carrier will take place. They want to put it into operation no later than 2033. Whether such plans will be able to be fulfilled is unclear. Funding cuts and top management uncertainty can threaten the program.
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The aviation group of the future UDC LPH-II was planned to be built on the basis of American-made F-35B short takeoff carrier-based aircraft. It was also going to include helicopters of existing or promising types. After the transformation of the LPH-II into the CVX, these ideas were not abandoned, but the planned size of the air group grew.
Model aircraft carrier CVX in the version from HHI. Photo by the Ministry of Defense of South Korea
Almost immediately after the start of the CVX program, information appeared about the possible creation and use of a carrier-based version of the South Korean KF-21 Boramae fighter. In May 2022, the Ministry of Defense announced that an aircraft of this kind is indeed of interest in the context of building an aircraft carrier fleet. Already in September, the KAI company, which is developing the KF-21, for the first time showed a layout of its deck modification.
KAI announced its readiness to continue developing the KF-21N project for the Navy. If there is interest from the customer and appropriate support, the carrier-based fighter will be ready within a few years. It is quite possible that the start of its testing will coincide with the laying of the CVX ship.
Arsenal ships
The South Korean Navy plans to increase its strike capabilities through fundamentally new warships. To counter and deter the DPRK, it is proposed to develop and build several JFS "common fire ships" capable of carrying a large number of missiles to strike ground targets.
Experienced fighter KF-21 in the original "land" version. Photo by the Ministry of Defense of South Korea
Not so long ago, DSME and HHI worked out the proposed ideas and presented their concepts for the JFS ship. In April, DSME received an order from the Ministry of Defense to continue work. Over the next year, she should form a general look and determine the parameters of the future ship. If such a project suits the customer, a full-fledged design will begin. Construction of JFS ships may begin in the middle of the decade or later.
According to the terms of reference from the Navy, JFS will be an "arsenal ship" with advanced missile weapons. On a surface platform of sufficient size and displacement, it is required to place launchers for 80 ballistic missiles of a new type. By the mid-thirties, the fleet wants to receive three such ships. Such a composition of the strike force will ensure constant patrolling and duty by the forces of at least one pennant.
According to known data, JFS will develop its own ballistic missile. It is assumed that this may be a product of medium or shorter range, and in its development, experience from previous projects is used. However, the exact information about this project has not yet been announced.
JFS Arsenal Ship Concept by DSME
Directions of development
Thus, the Republic of Korea is building and updating its naval forces, improving their quantitative and qualitative indicators. The construction of ships, boats and submarines continues successfully according to current projects, incl. according to their modernized versions. Plans of this kind are scheduled for several years in advance, and their fulfillment will determine the capabilities of the fleet in the near and medium term.
With an eye to the distant future, several other projects are being developed, and we are talking about the development of completely new directions. For the first time in South Korean practice, the Navy and shipbuilders are engaged in the creation of a full-fledged aircraft carrier and an arsenal ship. At the same time, aircraft and missiles of new models or modifications will be created in parallel for such ships.
It is expected that the continuation of the construction of ships and submarines of current types will allow the South Korean Navy to maintain or improve the current state, as well as existing operational and combat capabilities. In turn, the development and construction of an aircraft carrier (aircraft carriers) and arsenal ships will be able to seriously expand the range of tasks to be solved by the Navy and increase their overall potential.
However, obtaining fundamentally new opportunities is associated with well-known difficulties. Having no experience in the development of aircraft carriers and "arsenals", the South Korean industry may face one or another problem. In addition, the CVX and JFS programs and related projects may be prohibitively expensive, creating additional risks. Whether the fleet and shipbuilders will be able to cope with all possible difficulties and obstacles, time will tell.
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