CVX-class aircraft carrier
{{short description|Class of South Korean aircraft carriers}}
{{EngvarA|date=April 2022}}
{{more citations needed|date=January 2021}}
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{{Infobox ship image |Ship image=Model of DSME proposal for CVX project.jpg |Ship caption=Conceptual Model of DSME proposal }} {{Infobox ship class overview |Name=CVX |Builders= Hyundai Heavy Industries |Operators={{navy|South Korea}} |Class before= {{sclass|Dokdo|amphibious assault ship|4}} |Class after= |Subclasses= |Cost= |Built range= |In service range=2030 |In commission range=2029 |Total ships building=0 |Total ships planned=2 |Total ships completed=0 |Total ships active=0 |Total ships laid up= |Total ships lost= |Total ships retired= |Total ships preserved= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship type=Aircraft carrier |Ship length={{convert|263|m|ft}} |Ship beam={{convert|46.6|m|ft}} |Ship height= |Ship draught= |Ship power= |Ship propulsion= |Ship speed={{convert|27|kn|lk=in}} maximum |Ship range= |Ship endurance= |Ship test depth= |Ship boats= |Ship capacity= |Ship troops= |Ship complement= |Ship crew= |Ship time to activate= |Ship sensors= |Ship armament= |Ship armour= |Ship aircraft= To be determined |Ship aircraft facilities |Ship notes= }} |
The CVX (formerly known as LPX-II, Hangul: 대형수송함-II) is a class of aircraft carriers proposed for the Republic of Korea Navy. The class is follow-on from the previous {{sclass|Dokdo|amphibious assault ship}}s which prioritized amphibious capability, while the CVX will be designed for fixed wing and rotary wing operations instead, constituting a traditional aircraft carrier. The planned development of the class was formally announced and funded as part of the 2020~2024 Mid-Term Defense Plan (국방중기계획), published in December 2020.{{cite web |last=Vavasseur |first=Xavier |date=4 January 2021 |title=South Korea Officially Starts LPX-II Aircraft Carrier Program |url=https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2021/01/south-korea-officially-starts-lpx-ii-aircraft-carrier-program/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230329094113/https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2021/01/south-korea-officially-starts-lpx-ii-aircraft-carrier-program/ |archive-date=29 March 2023 |access-date=20 January 2021 |work=Naval News}} The Korean presidential administration that entered power in 2022 is not supportive of the CVX project, and it was not funded in the 2023 and 2024 defense budgets.
Background
The introduction of the CVX into service is a continuation of the development of a blue water navy by the Republic of Korea Navy, a process begun in 2001. Thus far the program has consisted of the {{sclass|Dokdo|amphibious assault ship|1}}s, the {{sclass|Sejong the Great|destroyer|4}} (KDX-III), {{sclass|Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin|destroyer|4}}, and {{sclass|Gwanggaeto the Great|destroyer|0}} destroyers, the {{sclass|Incheon| frigate|1}}s and Type 214 submarines.
The development of the blue water navy reflects the geopolitical circumstances that South Korea faces. At present, its two closest neighbors (China and Japan) are in the process of developing full aircraft carrier capability for their respective navies. The Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) operates the {{sclass|Hyūga|helicopter destroyer|0}} helicopter carriers and {{sclass|Izumo|helicopter destroyer|0}} multi-purpose operation destroyers (de facto aircraft carriers) while the People's Liberation Army Navy currently operates the carriers Liaoning (Type 001) and Shandong (Type 002) and plans to commission the Fujian (Type 003) in 2023.
Development
In late 2020, design and acquisition work on the CVX class was sped up in the hope of countering naval expansions in South Korea's neighbors. This move is expected to bring forward the aircraft carrier's future in-service date by one year, and will require a hastened procurement process for the F-35B fighter jets that the warship will carry.{{Cite news |last=Dominguez |first=Gabriel |date=8 October 2020 |title=South Korean military aiming to speed up acquisition of light aircraft carrier |url=https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/south-korean-military-aiming-to-speed-up-acquisition-of-light-aircraft-carrier |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231225193557/https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/south-korean-military-aiming-to-speed-up-acquisition-of-light-aircraft-carrier |archive-date=25 December 2023 |access-date=8 March 2021 |website=Janes |language=en}} {{As of|February 2021}}, work on the CVX was intended begin in 2022 and end in 2030.{{Cite news |last1=Dominguez |first1=Gabriel |last2=Kim |first2=Dae Young |date=24 February 2021 |title=South Korea to begin work on light aircraft carrier in 2022 |url=https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/south-korea-to-begin-work-on-light-aircraft-carrier-in-2022 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231120223216/https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/south-korea-to-begin-work-on-light-aircraft-carrier-in-2022 |archive-date=20 November 2023 |access-date=8 March 2021 |website=Janes |language=en}}
On the occasion of the MADEX trade fair in South Korea in June 2021, the Italian Fincantieri signed a contract with Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) for assistance in the design of the CVX. The South Koreans were seeking the support of an industrialist with experience in this field.{{cite web |date=11 June 2021 |title=ABONNÉS Actualité Indonésie et Corée du sud : Fincantieri frappe un très grand coup en Asie du sud-est |trans-title=Indonesia and South Korea: Fincantieri hits a big blow in Southeast Asia |url=https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/content/indonesie-et-coree-du-sud-fincantieri-frappe-un-tres-grand-coup-en-asie-du-sud-est |url-access=subscription |access-date=17 September 2021 |website=Mer et Marine |language=fr}}
The administration led by President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was elected in 2022, is sceptical of the CVX project. The project received no funding in the Korean defence budgets for 2023 and 2024. While it is included in the Mid-term Defense Blueprint covering the period 2024-2028 that was released in December 2023, this document notes that it will be subject to the results of further research.{{cite news |last1=Lee |first1=Juho |date=1 September 2022 |title=South Korea Zeros F-35B CVX Carrier Program in Favor of Funding North Korean Deterrence Strategy |url=https://news.usni.org/2022/09/01/south-korea-zeros-f-35b-cvx-carrier-program-in-favor-of-funding-north-korean-deterrence-strategy |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231223221239/https://news.usni.org/2022/09/01/south-korea-zeros-f-35b-cvx-carrier-program-in-favor-of-funding-north-korean-deterrence-strategy |archive-date=23 December 2023 |access-date=23 December 2023 |work=U.S. Naval Institute}}{{cite news |last1=Cha |first1=Eunhyuk |date=21 December 2023 |title=South Korean CVX Aircraft Carrier Program in the Mist |url=https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2023/12/south-korean-cvx-aircraft-carrier-program-in-the-mist/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231227162830/https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2023/12/south-korean-cvx-aircraft-carrier-program-in-the-mist/ |archive-date=27 December 2023 |access-date=23 December 2023 |work=Naval News}}
Specifications
Unlike the preceding Dokdo class, the CVX will not feature a well deck for amphibious assault craft. Instead, internal space will be dedicated to aircraft storage and maintenance. The flight deck will be of an axial design rather than using a ski-jump (used by other F-35B jet aircraft operators except for the United States Navy).{{Cite news |last1=Dominguez |first1=Gabriel |last2=Kim |first2=Dae Young |date=6 January 2021 |title=RoKN unveils revised conceptual design for future light aircraft carrier |url=https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/rokn-unveils-revised-conceptual-design-for-future-light-aircraft-carrier |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231225010024/https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/rokn-unveils-revised-conceptual-design-for-future-light-aircraft-carrier |archive-date=25 December 2023 |access-date=8 March 2021 |website=Janes |language=en}}
The CVX will be one of the few aircraft carriers in the world to feature two islands. The UK defense corporation Babcock International has been providing support to the CVX program and is a possible explanation for the twin-island design as Babcock led the development of the {{sclass|Queen Elizabeth|aircraft carrier|0}} aircraft carrier program for the Royal Navy.
The Republic of Korea government has stated that the sensor and weapons fit for the CVX will be developed domestically and the ship will feature a multi-function radar (MFR) for ballistic missile defence (BMD). The same system will be used about the next generation KDDX-class destroyer
Aviation
The CVX would be the first class of aircraft carriers in the Republic of Korea Navy, in contrast to the Dokdo class of amphibious assault ships which have features such as a well deck to accommodate amphibious assault vehicles. The ship will make use of an axial flight deck similar to those used by the {{sclass|Tarawa|amphibious assault ship|5}}, {{sclass|Wasp|amphibious assault ship|5}} and {{sclass|America|amphibious assault ship|0}} amphibious assault ships of the United States Navy. The Ministry of National Defense stated in August 2020 that twenty F-35Bs would be procured for the CVX. In terms of rotary wing aviation, the ship will accommodate the future Marine Attack Helicopters (based on MUH-1 Marineon) of the ROK Marine Corps.
In September 2022 the Korean Ministry of National Defence announced that 20 additional F-35As would be purchased for the ROKAF in place of the previously intended purchase of F-35Bs that were to have operated from the CVX. At this time Korea Aerospace Industries was offering to develop a navalised version of the KAI KF-21 Boramae to operate from the CVX.{{cite news |last1=White |first1=Andrew |date=22 September 2022 |title=With indigenous carrier-capable fighter design, S. Korea seeks to rework naval plans |url=https://breakingdefense.com/2022/09/with-indigenous-carrier-capable-fighter-design-s-korea-seeks-to-rework-naval-plans/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230208162645/https://breakingdefense.com/2022/09/with-indigenous-carrier-capable-fighter-design-s-korea-seeks-to-rework-naval-plans/ |archive-date=8 February 2023 |access-date=24 December 2023 |work=Breaking Defense}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2021/01/south-korea-officially-starts-lpx-ii-aircraft-carrier-program/ navalnews.com, South Korea officially starts LPX-II aircraft carrier program]
- [https://news.usni.org/tag/lpx-ii US Naval Institute, LPX-II]
- [https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/naval-warfare/premium-south-korea-reveals-imagery-lpx-ii-carrier/ Shepherd Media, South Korea reveals imagery of LPX-II carrier]
- [https://thediplomat.com/tag/republic-of-korea-navy-rokn/ The Diplomat, Republic of Korea Navy]
- [http://www.navy.mil.kr/mbshome/mbs/eng/index.do Republic of Korea Navy Homepage]
- [https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/south-korea-s-navy-is-developing-its-first-carrier Maritime Executive, South Korea is developing its first aircraft carrier]
- [https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/navy-ships/a33586594/south-korea-aircraft-carrier-f35/ Popular Mechanics, South Korea Is Packing Its First Aircraft Carrier with F-35s]
{{Republic of Korea Navy ships}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:CVX}}
Category:Helicopter carrier classes
Category:Amphibious warfare vessel classes
Category:Amphibious warfare vessels of the Republic of Korea Navy
Dokdo class landing platform experimental ships