9. Republic of Korea Navy
Aircraft carrier – 0
Nuclear submarine – 0
Amphibious assault ship – 1
Conventional submarine – 15
Cruiser – 0
Destroyer – 12
Frigates – 13
The Republic of Korea Navy is firmly set to reach its goal of becoming a blue water navy by 2020. ROKS Dokdo, an amphibious assault ship which can be converted to an aircraft carrier (a bolt on ski jump ramp is under construction and ship’s landing deck is covered with Urethane, heat resistance coating allowing it to operate F-35B STOVL fighters), together with Sejong the Great class destroyers, large 11,000-tons vessels, will be a centerpiece of rapid reaction task force. Korea currently operates only one such force, but with Dokdo’s sister ship Marado under the order and three more Sejong the Great class destroyers under construction, that number will be increased in the future.
