Italy and South Korea to work together for CVX future aircraft carrier for South Korean Navy.

According to information released on June 10, 2021, during MADEX International Maritime Defense Industry Exhibition 2021 that takes place in Busan, South Korea, Italian company Fincantieri has signed a contract with Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) to support the Conceptual Design of the new class of aircraft carriers “CVX” for the Navy of the Republic of Korea (South Korea).
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Scale model of future CVX aircraft carrier for South Korean Navy that was presented at MADEX 2021, International Maritime Defense Industry Exhibition in South Korea.  (Picture source Facebook Republic of Korea Armed Forces)

The program relating to the first-in-class unit envisages the tender for the Basic Design starting from the second half of 2021, whereas the detailed design and construction will begin in the following years. 

The signing took place between Jung Woo Sung, Vice President Naval & Special Ship Marketing Division of DSME, and Marco Cerruti, Regional Sales Manager of Fincantieri, in the presence of Federico Failla, Italian Ambassador in Seoul, Vice Admiral Dario Giacomin, Deputy Defense General Secretary – Deputy National Armament Director, and Rear Admiral Antonio Natale, Advisor of the Chief of Staff of the Italian Navy.

Fincantieri will advise DSME based on the expertise gained with the construction of the LHD (Landing Helicopter Dock) “Trieste”, which will be delivered next year to the Italian Navy. With this agreement, Fincantieri strengthens its presence in the country, further boosting the relationship with the Republic of Korea. In fact, through its subsidiary Seastema, the Group is cooperating in the construction of eight new Daegu class frigates (FFX-II) for the national Navy, providing SEASNavy, an innovative integrated platform management system (IPMS).

The signing of this contract marks an important step for the Group in establishing strategic cooperation with DSME. In a country with high naval shipbuilding capabilities, such cooperation might provide significant supplies for this unit and it might be extended to other products or sectors in the future. The “Trieste” unit’s design represents the state-of-the-art for this class of ships, in addition to being a well-proven product fully meeting the operational requirements of the Korean Navy. With the LHD, Fincantieri has proven its ability to design and build highly innovative units which represent a benchmark in the international scenario.

The CVX is a new class of aircraft carrier currently under development for the South Korean Navy. The planned development of the class was formally announced and funded as part of the 2020~2024 Mid-Term Defense Plan, published in December 2020. The South Korean Ministry of National Defense confirmed in August 2020 that twenty F-35Bs would be procured for the CVX. In terms of rotary wing aviation, the ship will accommodate the future Marine Attack Helicopters of the ROK Marine Corps.

During the edition of MADEX 2021, South Korean companies Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) and Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) have unveiled a scale model of the future CVX showcasing the design of the new aircraft carrier.

According to the South Korean industry, the new CVX aircraft carrier will have a length of 263 m, a wide of 46.6 m, and a displacement of 45,000 tons. Se will have the capability to reach a top speed of 27 knots (50 km/h). The ship will be able to carry up to 16 short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) fighter aircraft, such as the Lockheed Martin F-35B Joint Strike Fighter, on its flight deck and 12 more in its hangar.