Babcock backs both designs for Korean aircraft carrier
Babcock has been increasing its presence Korea, most recently with its investment in a facility in Busan. (Photo: Babcock)
Babcock has signed an MoU with Daewoo Shipbuilding and is now backing both of the main contenders for Korea’s CVX programme.
Babcock has signed an MoU with Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, one of Korea’s largest shipyards, to collaborate on systems integration programmes for future vessels.
This follows the MoU signing between Babcock and Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) in June 2021 focusing on the South Korean Navy’s CV eXperimental (CVX) future light aircraft carrier programme.
As HHI and Daewoo Shipbuilding are the two major competitors for the CVX programme, Babcock appears to be guaranteed to influence the vessel’s design, bringing its experience designing and manufacturing the UK RN’s Queen Elizabeth-class carriers.
At the time of Babcock and HHI’s MoU signing, the potential for the CVX programme seemed tenuous, with debates questioning if an aircraft carrier would optimally address the Republic of Korea’s security concerns.
The National Defense Committee refused an application for KRW101 billion ($90.9 million) for CVX research requirements for FY2021, instead, the ministry was given just $900,000.
The rationale was that the projection of airpower a single carrier provides is less significant when considering the proximity of North Korea and insufficient when compared to the size and capabilities of the PLAN.
However, the Korean National Assembly approved the KRW7.2 billion (around $6.1 million) budget for CVX development in the final month of 2021 and the programme appears to be progressing.
More from Naval Warfare
-
![Italy’s U212 Near Future Submarine production builds pace as upgrade plans mature]()
Italy’s U212 Near Future Submarine production builds pace as upgrade plans mature
Andrea Simone Pinna, OCCAR-EA combat system officer for the U212 NFS programme, outlined production progress, new capabilities and plans for the Italian Navy’s next-generation conventional submarine.
-
![How Canada is preparing the future River-class destroyers to endure uncrewed threats]()
How Canada is preparing the future River-class destroyers to endure uncrewed threats
Designed in 2019, Canada's new River-class destroyers are planned to be handed over by the 2050s. The long procurement timeline has cast doubt on whether the platforms will be obsolete for tomorrow’s warfare.
-
![Latest Russian subsea standoff puts pressure on the UK’s seabed defence strategy]()
Latest Russian subsea standoff puts pressure on the UK’s seabed defence strategy
UK defence secretary John Healey’s exposure of a covert Russian deep-sea operation against undersea infrastructure in the Atlantic validates the Royal Navy’s Atlantic Bastion concept but lays bare a capacity gap that autonomous systems, allied integration and sustained investment must close.
