Australia isn’t the only Pacific Rim country looking to modernize its Navy these days. China’s rapid shipbuilding program and work on its aircraft carrier project gets a lot of attention – but just to the east, South Korea is fielding its own AEGIS-equipped “air warfare destroyer,” while picking up new capabilities via a new class of amphibious assault LHD ship. Sound familiar? Hobart and Canberra Class, meet the KDX-III King Sejong Class AEGIS destroyer (launched May 2007) and the new “LPX” Dokdo Class LHD (commissioned July 2007).

The 199-meter, 14,340-ton /18,860-ton full Dokdo Class has been described as an LPD, but its large flight deck and “island” places it in the LHD category….

LPX Concept
(click to view full)

The Dokdo Class can carry up to 700 troops, plus a mix of helicopters, tanks/armored vehicles, and wheeled vehicles. Transport to shore is accomplished via landing ships or LCAC hovercraft. It’s only 2/3 the size of Australia’s new Canberra Class, and just over 1/3 the size of the USA’s Wasp Class; but Dokdo is the largest ship in the South Korean Navy. These ships will carry Thales’ SMART-L long range 3 dimension search radar, with a detection and tracking range of 400 km/ 240 miles. For defense, they will rely on the SeaRAM guided missile system, 2 Thales “Goalkeeper” 30mm CIWS systems… and support from Korea’s new frigate-sized KDX-II destroyers and KDX-III King Sejong Class AEGIS destroyers.

The media has recently featured speculation that the Dokdo Class is in fact a light aircraft carrier, citing the ability to install a ski jump and operate V/STOL Harriers or STOVL F-35B Lightnings from its deck. America’s 42,000 ton Wasp Class LHDs are used in this manner, and would be possible from Australia’s Canberra Class as well. The smaller size of the Dokdo Class, however, means that using the ship in this way would get one very few fighters, while sacrificing most of the ship’s carrying capacity to achieve even that. Aircraft require a lot of space below-decks, and so does their fuel and weapons storage. South Korea’s prime focus remains North Korea, and amphibious operations a la Inchon can easily be supported from land bases. Meanwhile, international operations featuring Korean LHDs would need Korean helicopters far more than they’d need Korean fighters. Korea’s Ministry of Defence has stated that they have no plans to operate fighter aircraft from these ships, and military logic suggests that it’s wise to believe them.

The Dokdo Class ship Marado, is scheduled to enter service by 2010; up to 4 ships are planned. KOIS report.

Note that the name Dokdo is politically significant, referring to a set of islands whose territorial claim is disputed with Japan. The Korean perspective on Dokdo/Takeshima may be found here. Unsurprisingly, Japan filed a diplomatic protest over the name back in 2005. Asian countries tend to have civilizational confidence, however, and the Korean reply was rude.

Additional Readings & Sources

• KOIS (July 3/07) – Amphibious transport dock ship handed over to Navy

• KBS “News in Zoom” – Asia’s Largest Landing Ship-LPX, “Dokdo”

• GlobalSecurity.org – LP-X Dokdo (Landing Platform Experimental) Amphibious Ship