S.Korea`s aircraft carrier dream

In November 1910, American civilian pilot Eugene Ely maneuvered a plane along a makeshift wooden runway installed on the deck of the cruiser Birmingham. The concept of the aircraft carrier, which military aircraft take off and land, was born. The world`s first aircraft carrier was the Argus of the U.K., which was introduced in 1918. The vessel was built by installing hangars by transforming a commercial ship and laying a deck exclusively for takeoff and landing. Large-size warship guns offer strong firepower but lack accuracy. The military tactic of carrying fighter jets on a battleship and launching direct attacks greatly changed the principles of war. Japan, which started the Pacific theater of World War II in 1941 by bombing Pearl Harbor in Hawaii with an aircraft carrier, suffered a crushing defeat by a fleet of U.S. aircraft carriers in the Battle of Midway the next year and lost momentum.

The aircraft carrier was the biggest contributor to the Allied victory in the Korean War. Back then, half of U.S. carriers were mobilized to get jet fighters to fly over the skies of the North Korean People’s Army day and night and heavily struck enemy forces. The conflict triggered the effort to develop a nuclear-powered carrier, which is especially valuable given its capacity to carry a large number of fighter jets. The 97,000 ton-class nuclear aircraft carrier George Washington can carry 80 aircraft, including fighter jets, bombers, reconnaissance planes, choppers and tankers. Its combat capability can match those of a certain country’s entire air force.

Ten countries including the U.S., U.K., Russia and France have aircraft carriers. China, which recently inaugurated its first aircraft carrier Liaoning, has become the 10th country to have an aircraft carrier. Beijing, however, has a long way to go before gaining the technology required for takeoff and landing of fighter jets on a carrier. Other than the U.S., which owns eleven 100,000 ton-class aircraft carriers, most other countries operate one or two small to mid-size carriers of 10,000 to 60,000 tons. About 4 trillion won (3.7 billion U.S. dollars) is needed to build a mid-size carrier. Because an aircraft carrier is vulnerable to submarine and missile attacks, it forms a fleet of battleships with destroyers, Aegis destroyers and cruisers. Forming a fleet of aircraft carriers would cost more than 10 trillion won (9.2 billion dollars) to build and at least 1 trillion won (920 million dollars) per year to maintain.

Among countries surrounding the Korean Peninsula, South Korea and Japan are the only two with no aircraft carriers. Tokyo has a helicopter carrier that could be converted into a fighter jet carrier in the event of war. India has also developed its own aircraft carrier, and Vietnam has pledged to provide India with an aircraft carrier base to keep in check China. Recently, South Korea’s parliamentary defense committee set aside 100 million won (92,000 dollars) to study the use of an aircraft carrier to boost military capacity. Though just funds for research purposes, the project is a meaningful first step. A strong navy is a guardian that safeguards national sovereignty for South Korea, which is surrounded by sea on three of its four sides.

Editorial Writer Lee Hyeong-sam (hans@donga.com)