South Korean Navy

[John Fedup]

Interesting that no ramp will be installed like the QE class has. Perhaps the ramp takes too much space away from the planned attack helicopters the ship will have in addition to the F-35Bs. The USN doesn’t use ramps on their new America class either.

 

[Ananda]

Yes, I'm bit surprise they don't put Ramp in the design, as Both QE class and Italian Trieste also being put Ramp. Thus I suspect it will be close the size of USN LHA. The article talk about 40K tonage from previous design of 30K.

From the video of F-35B take off from USN LHA compare to the ones that take off from QE class, seems the Marines F-35B in USN LHA need more runway compare to F-35B in QE. I don't know, perhaps I'm wrong. That's just my assessment on the take off videos comparison.

Well it's been discussed on many forums and media, that US did not put Ramp/Ski Jump just as in Euro Carriers, because those USN LHA put emphasis more on Helicopters operation with the SVTOL as supporting role. Thus USN put more importance on helicopter landing sites, then Ski Jump that will take couple of that.

Thus I'm bit surprised that ROKN taking that philosophy, rather then the UK, Italian and Spanish approach on operating SVTOL. After all they will not have the numbers of SVTOL carriers like USN do.

 

[Sandhi Yudha]

South Korea Officially Starts LPX-II Aircraft Carrier Program - Naval News

On 30 December 2020, details for South Korea's LPX-II light aircraft carrier were finalized and the necessary budget was officially allocated in the 2020~2024 Mid-Term Defense Plan (국방중기계획).

www.navalnews.com

Following @John Fedup post in August, Further rendering of LPX II in Naval News. Now showing two islands configuration similar with QE Class but also with Italian Trieste. Seems it will be bigger than Japanese Kaga class.

Looking to the projected displacement of around 40.000 ton, it will be similar in size with the american Wasp Class LHD, but smaller than the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier design. Its just remarkable that they not plan a ski-jump facility for the F-35B, which can increase the payload for a mission and saves fuel.

Edit: i just saw later that John Fedup and Ananda already discussed this.

The second of the FFX Batch II has been commissioned. Thats quite fast, specially under these pandemic circumstances, the Gyeongnam was just launched in june 2019. The frigates are an improved version of the Incheon-class (FFX batch I).

ROK Navy Commissions Second Daegu-Class FFX Batch II Frigate - Naval News

The Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy today commissioned its second Daegu-class FFX Batch II frigate. ROKS Gyeongnam was built by local shipbuilder Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) and launched on 21 June 2019.

www.navalnews.com

 

[OPSSG]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1346142129370746880

The IRGC said that it had seized the chemical tanker MT Hankuk Chemi on 4 Jan 2021 which has a gross tonnage of 9,797 tons, after receiving a request from the country's Ports and Maritime Organization.

The incident comes amid tensions over US$7 billion worth of Iranian assets is locked in South Korean banks after Washington tightened sanctions against Tehran. In April 2020, Seoul gained sanctions exemption from Washington for exports of humanitarian goods to Tehran. A foreign ministry official confirmed that the two countries and the U.S. have been in talks about using the Iranian money frozen at South Korean banks due to U.S. sanctions to purchase COVID-19 vaccines from a global vaccine procurement program.

Tehran reportedly had made the proposal to Seoul about the idea as a way to settle the issue over the frozen money, as it has been seeking to secure COVID-19 vaccines through the COVAX Facility.

South Korea's Defence Ministry on said it had dispatched its anti-piracy unit to waters near the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow shipping route in the Gulf region, to "ensure the safety" of South Korean nationals, after Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC, seized a South Korean-flagged tanker.

In Jan 2020, South Korean officials announced that they would expand their Cheonghae military unit, which has previously been focused on anti-piracy missions in the Gulf of Aden in cooperation with the U.S. Navy-led Combined Task Force 151, to also cover operations in and around the Strait of Hormuz. South Korean Navy destroyers make rotational deployments in support of the Cheonghae unit, and form the core of that force.

Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha told reporters that the ROK was making diplomatic efforts to try to secure the release of the tanker and its crew, which includes sailors from Indonesia, Myanmar, South Korea and Vietnam.

 

[Sandhi Yudha]

These things look like heavy torpedoes, but they seem to be Submarine-Launched Mobile Sea Mines (SLMM) .

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1351094327095812096

 

[ngatimozart]

Xavier's released a video on the ROKN CVL LPX II with new images released today by the ROKN and more details. The images come from a public presentation given by the CNROKN to the SK population.

 

[StingrayOZ]

Shows some significant evolution in the carrier design.



At 45,000t, and some 260m length. No jump and two deck edge lifts, and what looks like 3 weapons lifts. She is looking very much like a mini QE sans skijump.

 

[Sandhi Yudha]

Shows some significant evolution in the carrier design.

View attachment 47995

At 45,000t, and some 260m length. No jump and two deck edge lifts, and what looks like 3 weapons lifts. She is looking very much like a mini QE sans skijump.

Yes its a smaller and younger sister of the QE-class with LPX-I/Dokdo DNA, but i do not understand why they have removed the ski-jump.

 

[StingrayOZ]

Its longer than an America class, and it looks like they would prefer to use the additional room for aircraft handling. I guess this also isn't the final design, it may still be built with a ski jump. The design might still under go further modification, the lift closest to the bow seems to be in an suboptimal position, and I am less sure about the VLS bolted to the sides near the bridge and the weapons handling area. The dimensions look better, the twin layout more detailed and more realistic (no helicopter landing spot on top?) and a deck lift in the middle of the takeoff area on older designs seemed problematic. It seems like it could have as many as 8 ASW heli landing spots?

I am very interested how this one turns out, as its really the first, clean sheet F-35B small carrier project, as the others are either multipurpose or modifications of existing designs. It will be interesting to see what capabilities they can squeeze out of it.

 

[Sandhi Yudha]

South-Korea plan to start the construction of the future next-generation light aircraft carrier in 2022 with completion in 2033.
At this moment the costs for this project is estimated around KRW2,3 trillion (USD2,07 billion). The inflation and the whole Covid-mess will certainly increase the projected costs.

South Korea to begin work on light aircraft carrier in 2022

South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Programme Administration (DAPA) announced on 23 February that work on the Republic of Korea Navy’s (RoKN’s) future next-generation...

www.janes.com

 

[Sandhi Yudha]

Arirang just came with a new report about this project.

Arirang

www.arirang.com

They are now saying that the construction costs will be $ 1,8 billion, this is even more over-optimistic than the prediction of two months ago.

 

[Sandhi Yudha]

So after the 6 Incheon-class Batch I frigates, this is the fifth frigate of Batch II, from which 8 are ordered.
The 3rd and 4th are already launched at the Hyundai Heavy Industries shipyard.

DSME Launches Fifth Daegu-Class FFX Batch II Frigate For ROK Navy - Naval News

South Korea's Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) today launched ROKS Daejeon (FFG-823), the fifth Daegu-class FFX Batch II frigate for the Republic of Korea Navy (ROK Navy). The event took place at DSME's Okpo Shipyard.

www.navalnews.com

 

[Ananda]

Video from Xavier interview with HHI and DSME for South Korea Navy CVX concept. HHI shown their own concept, while DSME working with Fincantieri for design based on Italian Navy Trieste. In short DSME working on design base on proven ones, while HHI seems quite confident to work on their own design.

Just my opinion, seems HHI design eventough just like DSME shown twin islands, but seems more like enlarge Dokdo with ski jump.

 

[ngatimozart]

I actually like the HHI design because it appears well thought out in allowing almost simultaneous fixed wing and rotary wing ops. You are not having to respot aircraft, whereas with the DMSE design you have to after each launch and recovery. There's just more room on the flight deck. They'vestarted with a blank sheet and not acquired anyones inherent biases whereas DMSE will acquire the Italian's inherent biases. That's my 2 cents worth.

 

[Ananda]

Yes, same with me. I do like HHI design more. It seems give more flexibility on operating room. Larger flight deck, and provide more room also for self defense capabilities. It also provide design though for drones operation (whether aerial and maritime ones), thus shown future operation consideration.

Well it's just my amateur opinion, but then again I suspect it will come back to how much ROK want to invest on this CVX. HHI design seems shown more capabilities, but then it also means potential costlier.

 

[ngatimozart]

Yes, same with me. I do like HHI design more. It seems give more flexibility on operating room. Larger flight deck, and provide more room also for self defense capabilities. It also provide design though for drones operation (whether aerial and maritime ones), thus shown future operation consideration.

Well it's just my amateur opinion, but then again I suspect it will come back to how much ROK want to invest on this CVX. HHI design seems shown more capabilities, but then it also means potential costlier.

IIRC DMSE don't have the best reputation either for building and delivering on time and budget. They maybe somewhat risky and I heard that the poms weren't to impressed with the Tide Class build quality that DMSE did.

 

[Git_Kraken]

I don't understand the ROK requirement for a CV. It seems like a prestige project to me instead of rooted in the geopolitical. I'm firmly in the camp that they should invest in submarines, particularly with a secondary strike capability.

However, I love their CV designs. You can see the UK and Italian influence in those designs clearly, particularly with the double superstructure in both of them. I too am partial to the HHI design. The DSME seems more accessible though for a first time carrier navy, as it's based on Italian experiences with CVL's.

 

[swerve]

IIRC DMSE don't have the best reputation either for building and delivering on time and budget. They maybe somewhat risky and I heard that the poms weren't to impressed with the Tide Class build quality that DMSE did.

AFAIK neither were the Norwegians with the finish of HNoMS Maud (sort of a mini-Tide) needed some work.

 

[ngatimozart]

I don't understand the ROK requirement for a CV. It seems like a prestige project to me instead of rooted in the geopolitical. I'm firmly in the camp that they should invest in submarines, particularly with a secondary strike capability.

However, I love their CV designs. You can see the UK and Italian influence in those designs clearly, particularly with the double superstructure in both of them. I too am partial to the HHI design. The DSME seems more accessible though for a first time carrier navy, as it's based on Italian experiences with CVL's.

The ROK have issues with 3 nations. Two are real and one is illusionary. The real issues are with the PRC and NK. They see the CV as a force projection asset as well as a counter to the PLAN CV force. Since the JMSDF are moving in the CV game as the ROK have this illusionary dispute with Japan. It's very real to the ROK, but not to Japan. So the ROK, especially under the Moon administration see Japan more as a foe than a friend.

 

[swerve]

Yes, while in reality Japan is their giant offshore logistical base & guarantee that nothing nasty will come at them from that direction.