South Korea Is Getting An 'Aircraft Carrier'

Image: Reuters

David Axe, National Interest: South Korea Is Getting An 'Aircraft Carrier' To Compete With China And Japan

Looking beyond the North Korean threat, South Korea clearly has ambitions to develop a far-sailing “blue-water” navy.

Key point: Seoul for years has mulled a purchase of F-35Bs to complement the country’s land-based F-35As.

South Korea is getting an aircraft carrier. The vessel could help Seoul’s navy to compete with its main rivals, the Chinese and Japanese fleets.

The South Korean joint chiefs of staff decided on July 12, 2019 to acquire an assault ship capable of operating fixed-wing aircraft, Defense News reported. The vessel presumably would embark vertical-landing F-35B stealth fighters.

Seoul for years has mulled a purchase of F-35Bs to complement the country’s land-based F-35As.

“The plan of building the LPH-II ship has been included in a long-term force buildup plan,” a spokesman for the joint chiefs told Defense News, using an acronym for “landing platform helicopter.”

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WNU Editor: South Korea is now investing resources to have a serious regional navy. This "mini-aircraft carrier" is part of that plan.