Posted on 09/30/2007 11:50:59 PM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
Korea Unveils Asia’s Biggest Amphibious Landing Vessel
A separate area for female soldiers, a community kitchen which can accommodate 154 soldiers at once, medical facilities equivalent to a hospital complex including a dental hospital and an operating room, a barbershop, elevators and a canteen: all these facilities can be found in the 14,000-ton Dokdo LPH, Asia's largest amphibious landing and transport vessel, on an area the size of two soccer fields.
The Dokdo LPH, which was unveiled to the press on Friday, has facilities not far behind those of a large U.S. aircraft carrier. Intended to accommodate 340 crew, 700 Navy personnel, seven helicopters, six tanks and 10 trucks, it can serve as both a leading ship guiding Aegis Ships and other fleets and in rescue operations in large-scale disasters such as a tsunami since it is capable of carrying 1,100 refugees.
The area for female soldiers is off-limits to men and is intended to accommodate about 20 commissioned and non-commissioned officers at the end of December. Currently, there are some female soldiers serving in various destroyers and supporting ships, but the Dokdo LPH is the largest with an area specifically designed for them. Bunks accommodating 28 women, dressing tables, washing machines, shower stalls and women-only toilets are available. Female soldiers will share only the communal kitchen with male soldiers. Access to the area is restricted by a double gate with an electronic lock.
With about 700 rooms, the ship is 199 m long and as tall as a 17-story building. It has seven elevators including a freight elevator capable of loading up to a 19-ton aircraft or freight and a small elevator for crew. It is equipped with a tractor to move helicopters or aircrafts, facilities for landing and a forklift to carry ammunition and freight. In the kitchen, there are nine iron pots to make boiled rice for 250 people within an hour, a large sterilizer, a large dishwasher and an ice and ice cream maker. In a corner of the kitchen, there are four electronic game consoles. A gym, a 24-hour-run laundry room and a sterilizer for clothes are installed too. As for medical facilities, there are 13 areas including an emergency operating room, a radiation therapy room, a dental hospital, a pharmacy and isolation ward.
About 10 military surgeons and medical officers will work on the Dokdo LPH. There are also detoxification facilities in case of chemical, biological and radiation attacks, a military jail and a chapel of rest. "One of the Dokdo LPH's advantages is that it can accomplish missions in spite of bad weather like high surfs," said Col. Chung Ahn-ho, the captain.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
“One of the Dokdo LPH’s advantages is that it can accomplish missions in spite of bad weather like high surfs,”
...and is piloted via bluetooth. ;)
Not bad, not bad at all. A bit smaller than the LHDs that Australia is building but nothing to sneeze at. SK’s new Aegis DDG is even more impressive.
A country with less money to spend can contact this shipbuilder: http://www.alibaba.com/offerdetail/13323237/Sell_Mobile_Coastal_Defence_Systems_The_Mcds_Ship.html
Notice the relatively low price...
The mess facilities seem inadequate. If they can only prepare for 250 people per hour, and it holds 1040, they are going to be having to run the facility constantly on about a 12 hour shift.
Big Korean boat ping
It looks like an escort carrior, how does this thing come ashore.
It does not come ashore. It launches conventional or air cushion landing craft and/or amphibious armored vehicles from a floodable well deck with a big door in the stern of the ship. This allows it to put troops and equipemnt on the beach. It also carries a number of helicopters. This allows the insertion of troops farther inland.
If the South Koreans get Harriers or F-35 Lightning IIs, this vessel could also be used for escort or sea control missions.
The most efficient system IS a 12 hour or even 24 hour operation. The latter could feed 2000 per day.
Hey South Korea, yo. Whatcha planing on doing with the really, really big Amphibious Landing Vehicle? Anything special in mind?
Inchon II
I liked this part of the ad. There is nothing like having unbounded optimism in your product.
Tremble in fear, Northrum Grumman, General Dynamics, BAE, and all the rest! The mighty shipbuilders of the Faroe Islands have you in their sights!
Faroe Islands?
And a lifetime powertrain warranty
Well I suppose if they are even starting to think about defending themselves on their own dime instead of ours, it would be a good thing, but I'm skeptical. I think the most likely thing they will have to defend from is about 40 million starving refugees pouring over the border looking for food.
That would have been a life boat on a REAL LPH - USS Princeton (LPH-5). Princeton was an 880’ converted Essex-class aircraft carrier and could launch 16 helicopters at a time. It carried 2-3 squadrons plus a BLT (Reinforced)- about 1100 men. All this with a crew of 5000 sailors and 550 Marines.
Correction that should have been 500 - not 5000 sailors.
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