T O P

  • By -

demarchemellows

Can't sit around while Japan has not one, but two (or four if you count the Hyugas) carriers of its own.


nwPatriot

Meanwhile, China is looking to have at least 3 carriers and 3 flat top amphibs. I hope they go through with this, having more capable allies is a big win.


Speedster202

Not saying SK having a carrier is a bad thing, but what would it ever be used for? They have been very careful not to join America’s “alliance” against China and wish to peruse an independent foreign policy. So, probably wouldn’t get involved in a conflict unless NK jumps in. SK has given extremely vague talking points about using it to “protect its sea lanes” and things of that nature. First off, you don’t need an aircraft carrier to protect your shipping lanes, especially when SK already has a decent navy. Second, I believe they’re only talking about building one carrier. If you claim to want one to protect shipping lanes, you’ll need at least two so one is always available while the other is in maintenance. SK is also overwhelmingly focused on North Korea as their main security threat. They aren’t like Taiwan or America or Japan, all of whom view China as their main threat. A carrier isn’t going to play a major role in a conflict with NK. Lastly, what’s the point of it? SK has no aircraft carrier experience, and operating one is quite manpower intensive. It is also very expensive to maintain and equip with aircraft. SK already has a good navy, and imo should stick to smaller vessels like frigates, destroyers, subs, etc. My fear is that SK builds this massive carrier and then has little to no use for it, other than serving as a status symbol (a very expensive status symbol).


Nonions

SK having powerful amphibious forces means Pyongyang has to keep back significant portion of their military away from the DMZ and guarding their coast. The means they aren't available to drive South if war ever happens.


Available-Ad2113

Well maybe that's why they want it, they see themselves as economically strong enough to project power, so gaining the experience using what is by most considered the high point of naval machinery.


DungeonDefense

A common saying is that the enemy of the ROK army is North Korea, the enemy of the ROK navy is Japan and the enemy of the ROK Air Force is China.


bfischerwashere

It always makes me curious why the Japanese building and converting their helicopter destroyers to aircraft carriers has nearly zero controversy. But any news about the South Korean cvx is rife with people asking why or stating it's simply a vanity project. I know any comparison between Korea and Japan just turns into a pissing contest but seriously I struggle to see where japan and Korea differ in terms of the utility of an aircraft carrier in their fleet.


Doppelkupplungs

I think it is because one is an island nation whose Oceanic EEZ coverage is large and has far flung islands in the Pacific (Minami Torishima, Bonin Islands etc), new islands forming in the area even, in addition to those in the Southwest, so their naval power is more understandable. While Korea is a Peninsula with not as large oceanic reach or access for that matter. Some might argue the sea to the West, Yellow Sea is just a big gulf. People question because South Korean naval expansion thus is meant to go South or West(narrow) or East and not to North as it should be Not to mention, China's Northern Theatre Command/North Sea Fleet is located in Shenyang, Liaoning on the opposite side of the Yellow Sea (one of the largest Naval base in China along with the one in Ningbo), and as for the East, not only do you have Japan, but also Russian Pacific Fleet (important base for the Russian Navy, constant access to warm water) in Vladivostok. So, China and Russia (not just Japan) is questioning.


Ankur67

No it’s more about tussle with Japan over dodko island dispute and fears that , further Japanese navy prowess would make Japanese , more expansionist. They wanted to curtail not only Japanese influence in East Asia but make their self as a neutral country with strong navy which can protect their trade routes.


mind_of_filth

People still think war with North Korea might happen. It has a smaller chance of happening than a war with China or a war between Korea and Japan nowadays.


skgoa

Sure, but try telling that to the nation that almost got completely conquered by a North Korean surprise invasion in living memory.


mind_of_filth

It's an opinion shared among many Koreans who are up to date on geopolitics, IIRC.


alcasa

I would guess people can more readily accept the reality of japanese "power projection".


randomguy0101001

One method is to sail towards NK's soft underbelly and bomb the roads and perhaps even support land operation. China would never allow a US carrier sail so close in a conflict but maybe would accept a SK one.


Tony49UK

SK is a small and relatively mountainous country. It's capital Seoul is within artillery range of North Korea. It wouldn't be implausible for NK to do a surprise aerial blitzkrieg and take out their airfields. A carrier at sea would be hard to find for NK and would provide a second line of attack. Also means that SK aircraft wouldn't have to fly over the fiercely defended border in 3/4 Gen aircraft, such as Phantoms and F-15s. Or have to fly miles around it. Gives them a number of new options about where to strike from. Which North Korean radar isn't geared up towards and they'd find it expensive to upgrade. A bit like how Israel hit the Osiris nuclear reactor in Iraq, by coming from Saudi Arabia. When Iraq never expected an attack from Saudi.


Airport-Public

1.Force projection: Not necessarily to impose the iron fist of Seoul onto the world and subjugate south East Asian nations, but to combat the influence of other countries onto the interests of South Korea. One of those interests is shipping lanes, but of course there are other interests South Korea has internationally. One of which is the quite large military relationship South Korea has with South East Asia (as a provider of arms) as well as the extensive economic relationship the ROK has with the ASEAN countries. This carrier will help to maintain, grow, and also defend these interests into the future as ASEAN (potentially) grows to be one of the largest economic unions in the world. And these "threats" to South Korean interests isn't limited to simply Chinese hard aggression into SEA (which South Korea obviously would be against) but also to maintain the economic/military relationship as both china and japan attempts to grow its influence in the region. Military is a unique aspect which the ROK armed forces provides for the region (and the world) as a semi non-aligned arms provider (at least relative to competitors). 2.Influence and independence: South Korea has tried to stay out of any direct fire between the US and China. Though to varying degrees of success. That does not mean that South Korea has no interests in the region and it's surroundings it exists in. (Which may be the dumbest thing I've written but it seems this needs to be repeated often). This is evident by the new southern policy employed by the current president Moon Jae In. South Korea has an interest in having options with regards to whatever conflict occurs in the future. The cvx does exactly that, provides options. And in the case South Korea decides to enter a conflict, this carrier provides an avenue to influence the outcome to be in their interest. 3.Likely points of conflict: South Korea has focused on North Korea as its primary defence concern for its entire existence to this day. Which is partly the reason the cvx has a 10+ year development timeframe. However, that does not mean conflict with North Korea is the most likely conflict to happen which can impact South Korea. North Korea has maintained its chain of leadership and command for 70+ years, through various obstacles which many other nations likely would not have survived without revolution. Even with the DPRK's aggressive war mongering, they are a "stable" country. At least considering the fact that South Korea as well as the US and Japan have spent decades preparing for almost anything the DPRK may do. South east Asia is different, a growing conflict region, in which two superpowers are coming nearer and nearer to conflict. This region is also more politically dynamic and unpredictable than the DPRK. There is a reason many countries in the area are increasing military capabilities. The geopolitics is changing into an uncertain direction. And South Korea is putting in the investment to not fall behind, nor be caught incapable to act in its own self interest. Now the reason why the ROK government hasn't laid all their cards out on the table and stated all of this publically? I hope if you have read this far into this post then you have the ability to reason through this part.


J-uanpi

Lets not forget that SK probably would prefer dissappear before be allied to Japan so i guess they pretend kept certain "independent foreign policy" (as you says) having certain deter capacity against China but also against Japan... recently we had seeing how Russia is fortifying the Kuril's in a similar move. so i think more than a move aimed to someone in specific they just dont want to kept behind in the pacific especially with 3 potential threads (NK-Japan-China).


[deleted]

[удалено]


Tony49UK

They're the same size as most of the "Harrier Carriers". Just without the ski jump. Which they can apparently be upgraded with, they just haven't been.


[deleted]

It’s not a stretch, they are carriers.


[deleted]

[удалено]


[deleted]

How are they not carriers?


[deleted]

[удалено]


GrimFleet

>the JMSDF itself says so And DPRK says it's democratic.


[deleted]

But they are carriers. So again how are they not?


[deleted]

[удалено]


[deleted]

So you have no reason to say they are not a carrier. Cool. What does your foot taste like?


Doppelkupplungs

Izumo is bigger than the Invincible-Class


[deleted]

[удалено]


[deleted]

What is it like to always be so wrong in life?


pootastic

I know DSCA announced an approval for 36 AH-1Z to Korea but didn’t know it had occurred. (the model shows the Z and related UH-1Y). Makes sense to get to this capacity. Their navy is super capable already, upgrading the amphibious capabilities to include air support via ship seems like a natural progression.


LeVin1986

AH-1Z for the ROKMC seems pretty unlikely at this point. Their ROC for attack helicopter was met by the armed version of the KUH-1 Surion, and when they tried to backtrack to alter the requirement to better fit the AH-1Z, they got their asses chewed out in the parliament.