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Newsweek
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
US Ally Revives Aircraft Carrier Plan Amid North Korea Threat
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. South Korea, a United States ally, is set to revive its plan to construct an aircraft carrier amid threats from its nuclear neighbor, North Korea, local media reported. Newsweek has contacted South Korea's military for comment by Facebook message. The North Korean Embassy in China did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Why It Matters North Korea has been threatening to use force against South Korea, which is protected by U.S. forces stationed in the country. The Pentagon has frequently deployed aircraft carriers to the Korean Peninsula to demonstrate its commitment and extended deterrence to its ally. The United States aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt arrives in Busan, South Korea, on June 22, 2024. The United States aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt arrives in Busan, South Korea, on June 22, 2024. SONG KYUNG-SEOK/AFP via Getty Images While North Korea's naval power remains inferior to that of the U.S. and South Korea, it is bolstering its navy by building missile-armed destroyers and a nuclear-powered submarine. Recently, U.S. and South Korean navies conducted a joint drill to strengthen their ability to counter simultaneous attacks. This came after the North Korean launch of multiple short-range ballistic missiles over the Sea of Japan—referred to as the East Sea in South Korea. What To Know The South Korean military will move forward with its aircraft carrier project after making modifications, newspaper The Chosun Daily reported on Monday. The original plan called for the construction of a 30,000-ton vessel equipped with F-35B stealth fighter jets. Under the revised project, the proposed aircraft carrier will be transformed into a "multifunctional unmanned combat force command ship," capable of carrying dozens of drones for a range of missions, including combat, self-detonation, surveillance and reconnaissance. A self-detonation drone, also known as a kamikaze attack drone, is designed to crash into its target. North Korea tested this type of drone last November and put it into mass production. A South Korean drone is seen during a ceremony at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, South Korea, on October 1, 2024. A South Korean drone is seen during a ceremony at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, South Korea, on October 1, 2024. JUNG YEON-JE/AFP via Getty Images Citing the South Korean military, the report said the navy recently presented the new plan to a defense committee of the National Assembly. The so-called "drone carrier" will be capable of responding to North Korean threats by conducting strikes, as well as raid and landing operations. The project was first launched under the Moon Jae-in administration, which held office from 2017 to 2022. However, it was suspended by the succeeding administration, led by President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was removed from office last month for his declaration of martial law. The South Korean navy tested the "drone carrier" concept last November, when a Gray Eagle unmanned aircraft—capable of short takeoffs and landings—launched from the amphibious landing ship ROKS Dokdo and landed at a ground base. Yesterday, Gray Eagle STOL launched from the ROK helicopter ship Dokdo (deck length, 653ft/199m). GE STOL gets up so quick, we might launch it off surfboards next. 🌊🏄 — C. Mark Brinkley (@cmarkbrinkley) November 13, 2024 This demonstrated the versatility of short takeoff and landing capability aboard a warship not designed for fixed-wing aircraft, the South Korean navy said at the time, which also proved that new capabilities can be added without costly, major modifications to existing warships. What People Are Saying The South Korean navy said: "We have taken into account the situation of future maritime warfare and the development of artificial intelligence, unmanned technology, etc. It is necessary to reflect the sophisticated weapon system and build an unmanned composite combat system as soon as possible." Specialist outlet The War Zone said: "The Republic of Korea Armed Forces already operates a wide range of drones, ranging in size from Israeli-made Harpy loitering munitions to U.S.-supplied RQ-4B Block 30 Global Hawk high-altitude, long-endurance, remotely piloted aircraft." Republic of Korea is the official name of South Korea. What Happens Next According to The Chosun Daily, the modified, drone-equipped aircraft carrier could be constructed as early as the late 2030s, if a final decision is made within the year.
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Yahoo
Commander in Top Colorado Information Operations Post Sacked by Navy
The Navy has relieved the commanding officer of its Colorado-based Information Operations Command, according to a statement released Thursday. Cmdr. Christopher Johnson was relieved from leadership of NIOC, a subordinate command of Naval Information Operations Command Pacific headquartered at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, by Capt. Chelsey Zwicker, the commodore of the Hawaii headquarters. Johnson is the third commander of a Navy information warfare command to be removed by the service in the last six months, though the previous two commanders ran schoolhouses while this was an operational command. Read Next: Family Lives in Fear After Marine Corps Denies Legal Claim over Abuse by Jailed Ex-Recruiter In November, the sea service relieved the commander of the San Diego-based schoolhouse for information warfare, and in January the Navy fired the commander of its Norfolk-based information warfare school in two unrelated firings. Johnson's relief, which was officially over a "loss of confidence in his ability to command," appears to be the Navy's second firing of a commanding officer this year. Loss of confidence is a boilerplate reason provided by the military services that can encompass anything from consistent poor performance by a commander on key evaluations to personal actions like drunken driving. A Navy official told on condition of anonymity that the reason for the firing was over performance-based issues and not any misconduct on the part of Johnson. NIOC Colorado is based at Buckley Space Force Base in Aurora, and "provides a wide range of information warfare support to the fleet" that includes sailors trained in collecting signals intelligence, electronic warfare and cyber operations, according to its official website. Based on public announcements, it appears that the Navy fired 14 commanding officers in 2024. In 2023, the official relief total was 15. There are currently around 1,600 commanding officers in the active-duty Navy across all communities. According to his official Navy biography, Johnson was commissioned through the service's Officer Candidate School after completing his bachelor of science degree in physics from the University of Michigan. Johnson's career included working with EP-3E signals intelligence collection squadrons in Misawa, Japan, and Bahrain in the Middle East, as well as three sea deployments aboard the aircraft carriers USS Carl Vinson and USS Theodore Roosevelt. Johnson also completed two deployments to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Prior to coming to NIOC Colorado in May 2023, Johnson served as the executive officer of the Navy's Information Warfare Training Command at Corry Station in Pensacola, Florida. His qualifications include information warfare officer, surface warfare officer, and naval aviation observer. His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, and the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, among others. According to the Navy's statement, Cmdr. Mark Tuner, the naval information forces liaison officer to U.S. Fleet Cyber Command, will temporarily serve as NIOC Colorado's commanding officer until a permanent replacement is designated. Related: Navy Relieves Another Information Warfare School Commander in Unrelated Firing
Korea Herald
04-03-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
N. Korea warns of stepped-up actions against arrival of US aircraft carrier in S. Korea
The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Tuesday warned of a stepped-up action against the arrival of a US aircraft carrier in South Korea, claiming the US move justifies the North bolstering its nuclear forces. Kim Yo-jong made the condemnation as the USS Carl Vinson, a Nimitz-class US aircraft carrier, arrived at a key naval base in the southeastern city of Busan on Sunday, in the US commitment to providing extended deterrence against North Korean threats. She said the United States has been deploying its strategic assets into the Korean Peninsula at the "constant" level, denouncing the arrival of the US aircraft carrier as Washington's expression of its "most hostile and confrontational will" against the North, according to the Korean Central News Agency. "The action-accompanied hostile policy toward the DPRK pursued by the US at present is offering sufficient justification for the DPRK to indefinitely bolster up its nuclear war deterrent," Kim said in a statement carried by the KCNA. DPRK stands for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. "The DPRK is also planning to carefully examine the option for increasing the actions threatening the security of the enemy at the strategic level," Kim warned. She stressed if the US continues to renew its records in conducting military demonstrations against North Korea, her country will be "naturally compelled to renew its records in the exercise of strategic deterrence." The latest arrival of the USS Carl Vinson marked the first such visit by a US aircraft carrier to South Korea since US President Donald Trump's return to the White House in January. The nuclear-powered vessel last visited South Korea in November 2023. Its latest visit also came about eight months after the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier arrived in Busan in June last year to take part in the inaugural Freedom Edge multidomain exercise conducted among South Korea, the US and Japan. (Yonhap)
Muscat Daily
03-03-2025
- Politics
- Muscat Daily
US carrier docks in South Korea after North's missile tests
Seoul, South Korea – A US aircraft carrier and its strike group – several battleships accompanying it and assisting its operation – have reached South Korea's port of Busan on Sunday. The South Korean military said USS Carl Vinson was in Busan as a show of Washington's 'ironclad' commitment to its alliance with Seoul, echoing the statement posted by the carrier group on social media. The nuclear-powered vessel last visited Busan in November 2023. Another US aircraft carrier, USS Theodore Roosevelt, was deployed to the harbour in June 2024 for joint military exercises. The latest visit comes just days after North Korea's dictator Kim Jong Un supervised a test of strategic cruise missiles. Kim has also ordered the North's military to be full ready to use its nuclear arsenal, according to state-controlled media. Shows of US military force around South Korea tend to provoke outrage in the North, with Pyongyang often staging rocket tests in response. But the aircraft deployment is also an important signal of US reassurance to South Korea. In recent months, President Donald Trump has made statements questioning their current military alliance, which has the US deploying around 28,500 soldiers stationed in the Asian country, and Seoul depending on the US 'nuclear umbrella' for deterrence. In October last year, before the election, Trump called for ramping up South Korea's payments to the US for the American troops. He described South Korea as a 'money machine' and said they would be paying 'US$10bn a year' to Washington for protection. Seoul is currently paying around US$1bn. Since his inauguration in January, Trump has stated he would reach out to Kim Jong Un, calling him a 'smart guy' and saying they 'got along'. Also, Trump's ongoing row with Ukraine has raised questions about the US's commitment to its allies in Asia against China. Talking to DW's Julian Ryall, Seoul-based international relations professor Dan Pinkston said South Korea was so far trying to 'stay out of the spotlight'. 'They seem to be hoping that Trump is too focused on his trade war with Canada, Mexico and China,' he said last month. 'South Korea is hoping to be overlooked for as long as possible, although they know their turn will come.' DW
