South Korea’s Navy has accepted a new pivot away from its previously planned light aircraft carrier program, opting instead to pursue a multi-role unmanned command ship capable of deploying a wide array of military drones.
The decision reflects the evolving nature of maritime warfare and lessons drawn from recent conflicts, particularly the war in Ukraine.
The new plan, presented to the National Defense Committee of the South Korean National Assembly, rebrands the earlier light carrier initiative as the “Multi-purpose Unmanned Manned Integrated Command Ship” program.
Originally known as the “Large Transport Vessel-II” project under the Moon Jae-in administration, the carrier was expected to displace 30,000 tons and support 20 F-35B vertical takeoff stealth fighters. That concept is now being phased out under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration due to rising cost concerns and questions over strategic necessity.
Instead of F-35Bs, the new vessel will carry dozens of drones, including combat UAVs, loitering munitions, and reconnaissance platforms. Limited numbers of manned platforms, such as amphibious and attack helicopters, are still expected onboard, but the ship’s primary air wing will be unmanned.
Citing rapid advances in artificial intelligence and drone warfare, the South Korean Navy emphasized that a hybrid unmanned system is better suited to future combat environments.
While the new program maintains similar ship dimensions to the previous carrier concept, overall project costs are expected to drop substantially. Replacing F-35Bs with drone fleets could save the Ministry of National Defense almost $1 billion.
The new vessel is expected to serve as a command platform capable of orchestrating amphibious assault operations, precision strikes against high-value targets, and humanitarian response missions.
In April, the Navy commissioned HD Hyundai Heavy Industries to begin concept design work, with a formal presentation scheduled later this month before the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Pending final approval, design and construction of the ship could begin by the latter half of the 2030s, potentially reshaping the ROK Navy’s force posture in the Indo-Pacific.
Notably, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has previously criticized the F-35 program, arguing that reliance on manned fighter jets is outdated. “The F-35 design was broken at the requirements level, because it was required to be too many things to too many people,” Musk said in 2024, urging U.S. defense planners to invest in drone warfare and autonomous systems instead. South Korea’s naval pivot now appears to reflect some of that thinking.