With the
world’s attention focused on a potential confrontation between China and Japan
in the East China Sea, a third player has built what may be the most powerful
ship-for-ship fleet in Northeast Asia.
Over the past fifteen years, the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) has
expanded dramatically, acquiring a substantial fleet of modern, powerful
warships. While the ROKN continues to prepare for the contingency of conflict
with North Korea, it has become a force capable of significant foreign
deployment. If Seoul maintains its
commitment to the Navy, the ROKN could become one of the world’s premier middle
power navies.
Since
1953, North Korea has posed the central strategic problem for the ROKN. The sinking of the Cheonan and the DPRK’s
bombardment of offshore islands in 2010 served as harsh reminders of the
maritime aspects of the North Korea dilemma.
New designs (especially frigates) suggest a renewed emphasis on
anti-submarine warfare. However, many of the capabilities of South Korea’s new
warships seem geared towards global contingencies, rather than being designed
to meet specific North Korean threats.
The
Aegis equipped Sejong the Great (KD-III) class destroyers, for example, compare
favorably with American, Japanese, and Chinese designs, carrying more missiles
in VLS cells than their foreign counterparts.
Although quite capable of engaging North Korea in a strike, air defense,
or missile defense capacity, the three ships of the class represent a much more
substantial commitment to surface warfare than the threat of the DPRK demands.
Similary,
the Dokdo class amphibious warships suggest a maritime focus extending well
beyond the Korean Peninsula. Like many
amphibious warships, the 18,000 ton Dokdo strongly resembles a small aircraft
carrier. As British and French operations in Libya last year demonstrated,
amphibious warships can become strike vessels through the addition of attack
helicopters. Although South Korea does
not currently participate in the F-35B project, the prospect of flying the STOVL
fifth generation fighter from Dokdo (or potentially from Dokdo’s successors)
undoubtedly appeals to some South Korean defense planners. However, even if the tremendous expense of
acquiring and operating such fighters proves daunting, the light carriers could
someday employ Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) optimized for strike and
reconnaissance roles. In any case, the
Dokdos give South Korea a plausible expeditionary capability.
South
Korea’s robust shipbuilding industry (the world’s largest) helps support and
underwrite the ROKN’s expansion and modernization. Four Dokdos and six KD-IIIs
are planned, although actual construction may not match these numbers. If it does, however, this would represent one
of the most potent naval warfare squadrons in the world, potentially capable of
conducting many different missions in the region. The KD-IIIs and Dokdos are supported by a
force of nine modern large frigates (designated destroyers), all displacing
from 3500-6000 tons and specialized for surface and sub-surface warfare. Another fifteen 3000 ton frigates are in the
ROKN’s plans.
Much
like the PLAN, the ROKN has taken advantage of every opportunity to develop
experience with distant, long-term deployments.
South Korea is a regular participant at RIMPAC, as well as other
significant multilateral exercises. Also
like the PLAN and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), the ROKN has
maintained a continuous presence in support of CTF 151’s anti-piracy operations
off the coast of Somalia.
All of
this suggests that the ROKN is built for exigencies well beyond war on the
Peninsula. Naval vessels of the sort
operated by South Korea (small carriers and the modern-day equivalent of
battleships) carry a high prestige value.
This signals to both domestic and international audiences that Seoul is
to be taken seriously on the international stage. However, the fleet also represents a hedge
against the possibility that South Korean relations with its larger neighbors
may deteriorate. The capabilities the
ROKN is currently pursuing could operate abroad in expeditionary and
humanitarian relief operations, or could help protect South Korea’s maritime
lifelines. In any case, the tendency to
focus exclusively on the navies of China and Japan misses out on one of the
most important new players in the Northeast Asian maritime scene.
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