Korea to Build Light Aircraft Carrier

SSgtC said:
You need substantially more than that to operate modern fighter aircraft. "Fuel truck and loader" would barely let you operate a P-51, nevermind a 5th gen fighter.
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Pretty sure F-35 has an oxygen generator, not an O2 bottle, so you don't need to resupply there. Tires and landing gear use a welder's nitrogen bottle for pressure.

If the electronics have issues, send that plane to a more developed base instead of the road.

Starter cart, maybe, if the F-35 can't start off the APU?

And a big fire extinguisher.
 
Italians know well all the above problem, as stated before is not a mere problem of "fuel carry and ammo replenishment".
Both ITS Cavour and LPD Trieste were carefully designed around the F-35B's operations.

This (partially) explains how much they cost and the time they took to be commissioned.
 
archipeppe said:
Italians know well all the above problem, as stated before is not a mere problem of "fuel carry and ammo replenishment".
Both ITS Cavour and LPD Trieste were carefully designed around the F-35B's operations.

This (partially) explains how much they cost and the time they took to be commissioned.
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A rather significant part of those requirements is heat-proofing the deck, so 1500degC exhaust blasting straight down doesn't burn clean through it!
 
Grey Havoc said:
The rear one sized for V-22s and large STOL aircraft, perhaps?
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Probably it's just intended for getting 2 aircraft to the flight deck at once - like those that are parked opposite and wait for their turn to launch. And the forward is for recovery. A pity there are no starboard shots that show how those elevators look like (because they are not exactly external and not completely internal, and it would be interesting to see how they are integrated into the hull).

I suppose I am a bit partial to Invincible-like designs, but this one seemed quite realistic and doable, in contrast to the rest of the program and it's current status.
 
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Seragina said:
Looks like they already changed direction toward a drone carrier.
www.aerotime.aero

South Korea drops CVX-class carrier for UAV command ship

South Korea has reportedly shelved its CVX-class aircraft carrier project in favor of a UAV-capable command ship.
www.aerotime.aero www.aerotime.aero
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I can honestly see AEW being a thing that every ship will want to have in the future. And of course ASW, though there's enough jobs that you'd also need a manned helicopter as well as ASW drones.
 
Well, if you automate everthing and cut down human user than the only ones left would be the divers for SAR missions. But that's probably decades from now. Right now it's easier to get "simpler" drones designs ready.
ASW could be done by "larger" and more numerous drone ships. So only a few aircrafts would be needed for projections.
AEW will be harder to replace due to aperture size, hence, range. So there's always a higher number needed with "smaller" drones.
Mass is key and we likely will end up with a need for many carriers again.
 
Regarding the Command Ship project:
A seminar on the construction of a manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) aircraft carrier for the Republic of Korea Navy and the development of unmanned maritime capabilities was recently held at the National Assembly, hosted by People’s Power Party representative Yong-won Yoo.

The main topic of the seminar was the Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy’s future MUM-T fleet, based on a report submitted by the Navy. According to the plan, the Navy intends to establish a MUM-T Battle Group centered around a new concept of a drone aircraft carrier capable of operating both manned and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and supporting amphibious assault operations.

The plan includes upgrading the two existing amphibious assault ships, ROKS Dokdo and ROKS Marado, to enable UAV takeoff and landing as well as MUM-T command capabilities. Additionally, the Navy aims to design and construct a new 30,000-ton-class (light load) drone carrier over the next 11 years, with the goal of bringing it into operational service in the late 2030s.

As part of the Navy Sea GHOST initiative, which addresses manpower shortages due to population decline, the ROK Navy has shown increasing interest in unmanned systems. Notably, last year, General Atomics’ Mojave STOL UAV successfully conducted a take-off demonstration from ROKS Dokdo, drawing attention to the possibility of repurposing existing amphibious assault ships into drone carriers.
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During the event, Hanwha Ocean presented its MUM-T command ship concept, Ghost Commander II, featuring an approximate length of 240 meters, a beam of 60 meters, and a displacement of 42,000 tons, characteristics that align closely with the drone carrier envisioned by the ROK Navy.
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ORIGINAL CAPTION: Hanwha Ocean’s early concept of its Ghost Commander II MuM-T command ship at MADEX 2025.

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ORIGINAL CAPTION: HD HHI’s new HCX-23 Plus: A 15,000-ton drone mothership concept

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, meanwhile, showcased a 15,000-ton drone carrier, while also revealing that it is internally developing a 32,000-ton class design, which is expected to attract significant public attention once officially unveiled. The competition between the two firms is reminiscent of the design rivalry seen during the earlier CVX program.
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www.navalnews.com

South Korea Plans MUM-T Fleet with Drone Carrier for ROK Navy - Naval News

The Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy's transition toward a MUM-T fleet is becoming increasingly defined, with shipbuilders and aerospace firms unveiling platforms and systems to support future unmanned naval operations via a drone carrier project.
www.navalnews.com www.navalnews.com
 
The drone mothership concept being that light wouldn't it be possible to design it as a trimaran for speed?
That would increase strategic utility, improve waterline defense and tactical drone recovery... by that I mean the ship could reduce return-to-base range for the drones.
 
a carrier model appeared at ADEX 2025
Looks like the same one from MADEX. no more fixed wing jets, just helicopters and drones

2025102217493348692.jpg
 
helmutkohl said:
a carrier model appeared at ADEX 2025
Looks like the same one from MADEX. no more fixed wing jets, just helicopters and drones

2025102217493348692.jpg
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Seems more realistic all things considered. Are those YFQ-42s on the deck or a similar, domestic, UAV proposal following the Barracuda-layout?
 
EmoBirb said:
Seems more realistic all things considered. Are those YFQ-42s on the deck or a similar, domestic, UAV proposal following the Barracuda-layout?
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the 3 on the deck might be LOWUS, but it has the same general shape as the YQF-42, so it is hard to tell.
looks like it also has two EMALS. perhaps it may have the option to launch fixed wing planes if needed?
 

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