[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] The Navy claimed that a light aircraft carrier (light carrier, 30,000-ton class) is an absolutely necessary force, arguing that its naval power is inferior compared to neighboring countries.
On the 21st, the Navy explained to the reporters covering the Ministry of National Defense, stating, "When comparing only submarines over 1,000 tons and combat ships currently in operation, our naval power is at 17% of China's and 39% of Japan's in terms of ship tonnage," and added, "Considering the shipbuilding trends of neighboring countries, this gap is expected to widen further."
In February, the Ministry of National Defense held the 133rd Defense Acquisition Program Promotion Committee (DAPPC) chaired by Minister of National Defense Seo Wook, estimating that constructing a light aircraft carrier would cost about 2.03 trillion won. This cost includes design, construction, and armament and equipment installation expenses, but does not include the cost of purchasing carrier-based aircraft.
The carrier-based aircraft likely to be deployed on the light carrier is the F-35B Lightning II, capable of vertical takeoff and landing. The military authorities are considering purchasing 20 F-35Bs. The cost of 20 F-35Bs is expected to exceed 4 trillion won. In this case, the total cost of constructing one light carrier and equipping it with carrier-based aircraft could reach around 6 trillion won.
Regarding this, the Navy stated, "Most of the approximately 2 trillion won construction cost of the light carrier will be reinvested in the domestic industry," and added, "Since construction will take 12 to 13 years, with expenditures spread over more than 10 years, it is a level that can be sufficiently supported within the defense budget." They also noted, "Excluding rigid expenses such as personnel costs and allowances, the pure annual operation and maintenance cost of the light carrier is about 50 billion won."
The Navy also refuted various arguments opposing the introduction of the light carrier point by point.
In response to the criticism that "the Korean Peninsula itself is an unsinkable aircraft carrier, so is a light carrier necessary?" the Navy argued, "The light carrier is relatively safe from North Korea's ballistic missile attacks." They further explained, "At the beginning of a war, North Korea will prioritize striking major targets such as our air force bases with ballistic missiles, etc. Such attacks could damage runways, limiting fighter jet operations."
On the 16th, following the Joint Chiefs of Staff meeting, the Navy explained the operational concept of the light carrier based on these points and plans to continue multifaceted promotional activities, including providing explanations to each lawmaker's office in the National Assembly.
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