In an unprecedented effort, South Korea plans to increase its defense investments by 40% between 2020 and 2024, with more than $85 billion devoted to the force equipment component over this period. In addition to the acquisition of F35Bs and the strengthening of armored forces, these investments will accelerate the plan to modernize and strengthen the South Korean Navy. In this file, we had already studied the major programs in progress, such as the KDX-III and KDX-IV destroyers, the FFG-II frigates, or the KSS-III submarines. But this new impetus made it possible to extend this development, with the construction of 2 aircraft carriers of 30.000 tonnes, announced a few weeks ago.
But obviously, the Seoul admiralty does not seem to stop there, since on the occasion of the presentation of the 2020-2024 five-year plan, reference is made to the construction of 2 or 3 surface vessels presented as “ Arsenal Ships", a concept which is reminiscent of bomb trucks often discussed in military aeronautics. Designed on the basis of the KDX-II destroyers, these ships weighing 4500 to 5000 tons will be equipped with nearly 240 vertical launchers according to the illustration presented, as well as artillery batteries, so as to be able to provide a massive increase in power of fire, especially towards the earth. The solution chosen by Seoul is not without interest, given the traditional design of heavy surface buildings, like cruisers or heavy destroyers Chinese Type 055, Russian leaders, or the future American LSCs. Indeed, the Arsenal Ship does not carry powerful detection systems, notably radar, requiring significant superstructures, and a crew accordingly. In all likelihood, firing information will be provided by other ships, aircraft and satellites serving the Arsenal Ship.
Certainly, the ship will never have the versatility of a cruiser, capable of imposing by its simple presence a bubble of denial of air and surface access, and this in an almost autonomous manner. But such a building is very expensive, and requires imposing dimensions, if only to carry the powerful radars essential to its function. Conversely, the Arsenal Ship can be designed on a relatively small hull, like that of a 5000-ton destroyer, while carrying twice as many missiles as a cruiser two to three times larger. In addition, the absence of massive infrastructure favors the stealth of the ship, and its lightness, its autonomy and its speed. Finally, its ability to deploy a very large number of missiles, particularly cruise missiles, allows the use of tactics to saturate the adversary's anti-aircraft defenses, so as to eliminate threats for subsequent exploitation by embarked aviation for air superiority with reduced risk. As such, the Arsenal Ship appears to be the perfect complement to the aircraft carriers that the South Korean Navy wants to equip itself with.
We will obviously have to wait to learn more about the exact capabilities of this new type of South Korean Navy vessel. But Seoul's decision to equip itself with such ships marks, once again, the profound transformation underway regarding the future air and naval combat, and the return to favor of major surface naval units facing aircraft carriers and submarines. -sailors.
