Ⓒ JoongAng Ilbo / JoongAng Ilbo Japanese version2022.07.17 09:02
In the 2030s, the South Korean Navy’s ambitious plan to commission a Korean-style aircraft carrier encountered a huge snag. The aircraft carrier-equipped fighter business has lost power. Some say that the aircraft carrier construction plan was virtually unsuccessful.
The Defense Acquisition Program Administration held the 145th Defense Business Promotion Committee on the 15th and decided on the basic strategy for promoting the next-generation fighter (FX) secondary business. The FX secondary business is a business to purchase high-performance stealth fighters from overseas. An official of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration said, “We will minimize the force gap caused by the selection of aging air force fighters, reinforce the core force of the kill chain, suppress threats in all directions, and swiftly suppress North Korean nuclear and ballistic missiles in the event of an emergency. I expect it to be incapacitated. “
If the business starts next year, it is planned that about 3.94 trillion won will be invested until 2028. This business has no choice but to purchase 20 additional F35A aircraft. If that happens, Korean aircraft carriers will face major challenges.
The situation is like this. The F35 is the only high-performance stealth fighter currently available for purchase by South Korea. The F35 is divided into an Air Force F35A, a Marine Corps vertical takeoff and landing aircraft F35B, and a Navy aircraft carrier-equipped fighter F35C.
The Air Force introduced 40 F35A aircraft and finished its force last year. Therefore, it was the Air Force’s main intention to purchase more F35A20 aircraft in the FX secondary business. However, an ambush appeared.
The Moon Jae-in administration has put together an aircraft carrier construction plan for a large transport ship project in 2019. He started the basic design of the Korean aircraft carrier this year, and started the procedure to build a ship from 2026, and at the earliest, he was able to see the Korean aircraft carrier protecting the territorial waters in 2033.
The F35B was selected as the fighter equipped with a Korean aircraft carrier. The Korean aircraft carrier has a short deck and does not have a catapult to launch a fighter, so only a vertical takeoff and landing type can be mounted. However, the Air Force decided to fly and operate the F35B.
However, if the FX secondary business is confirmed by F35A, F35B looks like a blister. Dr. Yang Wook of Asan Institute for Policy Studies said, “The current administration’s keynote is that Korean aircraft carriers are not urgent in terms of weapons introduction priority. If the F35A20 additional introduction project was promoted, there would be no Korean aircraft carrier. It is likely that it will be delayed significantly. ”