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Old 07-28-2020, 05:11 AM
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Arrow Now South Korea’s Getting An Aircraft Carrier, Too

Now South Korea’s Getting An Aircraft Carrier, Too
By: David Axe - Aerospace & Defense & Forbes News - 07-27-20
Re: https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidax.../#19c1790bf0b3

Photo link: https://specials-images.forbesimg.co...81&cropY2=2276
An F-35B Lightning II takes off from the amphibious assault ship USS 'America.' U.S. NAVY PHOTO BY MASS COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST SEAMAN APPRENTICE THEODORE LEE

South Korea reportedly plans to order 20 F-35B stealth jump jets, a strong signal that the South Korean navy is moving forward with development of a light aircraft carrier.

A carrier might seem like an odd, even unwise, investment for a country whose major threat—indeed, an existential threat—is a huge land army poised just 30 miles from its capital.

Experts have pointed out the usefulness of a carrier in long-range force-projection in the event South Korea chooses to push back against Chinese expansion and illegal fishing in the Yellow Sea.

But a carrier also could contribute to the South Korean military’s main mission. Beating back an invasion by North Korea.

South Korea’s armed forces primarily exist to slow, then roll back, a North Korean tank army—with initial assistance from the U.S. Army’s 2nd Infantry Division and American air power in South Korea and Japan.

It’s not for no reason that Seoul long has devoted the bulk of its military resources to ground and close-air-support capabilities. Tanks and fighting vehicles. Artillery. Fighter-bombers, attack helicopters and precision missiles.

But naval and marine forces are important to Seoul’s strategy. Recall that, during the darkest days of the Korean War for allied forces in late 1950, two divisions of U.S. Marines landed at Inchon on South Korea’s west coast in order to open a second front against the North Korean army.

The Inchon amphibious gambit worked in 1950. It could work again in the 2020s or later. For that reason the United States and South Korea maintain strong amphibious forces on and around the Korean Peninsula.

The U.S. III Marine Expeditionary Force with 27,000 Marines operates out of Japan. U.S. Navy supports III MEF with five amphibious ships—two landing docks, two landing platforms and the assault ship and light carrier America. The Marines station their latest F-35Bs in Japan with Marine Fighter-Attack Squadron 121.

South Korea’s own marine corps has 29,000 people. The South Korean navy supports the marines with two Dokdo-class helicopter carriers, eight modern tank-landing ships and a flotilla of hovercraft.

2nd photo link: https://specials-images.forbesimg.co...214&cropY2=776
An SH-60F Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to the Chargers of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron-14 ... [+] U.S. NAVY PHOTO BY MASS COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST 3RD CLASS CHARLES OKI

Sailing together, the U.S. and South Korean navies could land tens of thousands of marines in a repeat of the 1950 Inchon operation. They would need air cover.

Land-based fighters could contribute to the amphibious campaign, of course—as could U.S. Navy fighters from the U.S. Pacific Fleet’s supercarriers. But the amphibious group’s organic fighters, operating close to the beaches directly in support of the landing force, likely would provide the most effective air support.

Which is why the U.S. Navy designed America from the keel up specifically for operating large numbers of F-35s. In her light-carrier configuration, America could embark more than a dozen F-35s, albeit at the expense of the rotorcraft that would carry elements of the landing force.

South Korea reportedly has decided it wants to add its own F-35s to the allied amphibious fleet. Seoul in 2019 announced construction of a 30,000-ton-displacement variant of the 15,000-ton Dokdo. The so-called “LPH II” is slightly smaller than America is, but roughly matches the Japanese navy’s own Izumo-class light carriers.

It was always possible for the LPH II to embark as many as 16 F-35s. Now it’s becoming clear that Seoul actually intends to do so.

But it’s unclear how much the project might cost. It’s worth pointing out that a Dokdo cost around $300 million. LPH-II’s sticker price could be double that. South Korea’s 20 F-35Bs meanwhile could set back taxpayers several billion dollars.
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O Almighty Lord God, who neither slumberest nor sleepest; Protect and assist, we beseech thee, all those who at home or abroad, by land, by sea, or in the air, are serving this country, that they, being armed with thy defence, may be preserved evermore in all perils; and being filled with wisdom and girded with strength, may do their duty to thy honour and glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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