<Anchor> The



light aircraft carrier is what the Navy envisions as the core of its future maritime power.

It is a military base on the sea that is smaller than an American aircraft carrier, but is equipped with vertical take-off and landing fighters, and is expected to serve as a maritime counterweight in Northeast Asia.

A detailed outline of a Korean-style light carrier, also called the '21st Century Turtle Ship', appeared.



Defense reporter Kim Tae-hoon independently reported.



<Reporter> The



Navy took the lead in launching a light aircraft carrier, a military base on the sea, in 2030.



[Sukjong Bu/Naval Chief of Staff (During New Year's Address): We must do our best with the desperate feeling that we need to build a '21st Century Turtle Ship' for future generations from now on.] On the



30th of last month, the joint venture decided to promote the light carrier project, a few days before this. It was confirmed that Hyundai Heavy Industries completed the conceptual design.



Conceptual design is the first step in ship construction, which determines the core structure and performance of the ship.



As a result of the conceptual design, the Korean light aircraft only weighs more than 30,000 tons and is more than 250 meters in length.



It is more than 50 meters longer than the Navy's largest ship, Dokdo, and larger than the Japanese helicopter carrier Izumo.



It is equipped with 12 vertical take-off and landing fighters and 8 landing and attack helicopters of the Marine Corps. By reducing the number of helicopters, up to 16 fighters can be loaded.



In order to maximize space, the bridge is separated and built into a double bridge.



The Korean light carrier is a power that can strengthen Korea's interests and status in the maritime landscape of Northeast Asia where China and Japan grow their power with carriers.



[Dong-Gil Cha/Professor, Department of Marine Corps Military History, Dankook University: Light aircraft carriers will be balanced with Northeast Asia to protect national interests in the future when conflicts arise such as territorial disputes with neighboring countries, maritime transport friction, etc.] The



next step in conceptual design

is the light aircraft carrier.

This is the basic design, the main business of



The military is planning to announce a business operator within this year and start the basic design in earnest.



(Video coverage: Ilsang Han, Video editing: Player Park)